Resumen de Development of personalised food for the nutrition of elderly consumers
The rising number of elderly within Europe and other developed countries increases the impact of several age related impairments such as chewing and swallowing difficulties that can decline the quality of life of the affected persons enormously. In order to increase their vital energy but especially to bring back their personal dignity when it comes to daily meal times, the EU funded project Performance is facing a new and holistic approach. Performance is a project with an innovative nutritional concept for frail and elderly persons enabling them to eat their daily meals in a form they are familiar with. The project is considering, a nutritional concept that focuses besides the general problems of the frail and elderly (e.g. decreased sensory perception, mastication and swallowing difficulties, etc.), on their special requirements such as nutrient demand and allows the industrial manufacturing and supply of these personalised meals. The supplied personalised food is modified in its texture and nutrient content, while keeping its traditional shape. This provides the frail and elderly with meals of a consistency that they can eat safely while having good taste and appearance � which is not the case with mash-type food. Due to the way of manufacturing, frail and elderly people will retain or even gain more appetite which can be directly linked to increased food consumption. As a result an improvement of the nutrition and health status and most important quality of life is likely to be expected from Performance personalised food products.
