Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8129, 6700 EV Wageningen, the Netherlands.
J Nutr Health Aging. 2009 Nov;13(9):769-75. doi: 10.1007/s12603-009-0212-9.
Elderly people may benefit from sensory stimulation to increase food intake since anorexia of ageing is prevalent among them. An optimal MSG concentration may increase the palatability of foods but this depends on the food and chemosensory status of the taster. Currently, the results on taste enhancing to increase intake are inconsistent.
To find an optimal preferred MSG concentration in mashed potatoes, spinach and ground beef and to determine whether this concentration increases consumption of these foods among institutionalized elderly people.
Single blind within subject cross-over study performed at the laboratory and in the residents' own apartments.
33 elderly and 29 young people in the sensory study and 53 elderly people in the intake study.
Pleasantness of the foods was rated of the foods each with 0, 0.5, 0.8, 1.3 and 2.0 g of MSG/100g. Intake was measured by weighing back leftovers of 2 meals with MSG (0.5% in mashed potatoes, 2% in spinach and ground meat) and without MSG.
0.5% MSG (p < 0.05) was preferred in mashed potatoes but no optimal preferred concentration was found for spinach and ground beef, possibly because of their complex taste. Intake was not different between the foods with and without MSG or the total meal (all p > 0.68).
MSG (0.5% and 2%) does not guarantee a higher intake among elderly. The chemosensory heterogeneity of the elderly population requires more individual flavor enhancement to improve the dietary intake and sensory experience.
老年人可能受益于感官刺激以增加食物摄入量，因为老年人厌食症在他们中很普遍。最佳的味精浓度可能会增加食物的美味度，但这取决于食物和品尝者的化学感官状态。目前，关于增加摄入量的味觉增强效果的结果不一致。
在土豆泥、菠菜和碎牛肉中找到最佳的味精浓度，并确定该浓度是否能增加机构化老年人对这些食物的摄入量。
在实验室和居民自己的公寓中进行单盲、个体内交叉研究。
33 名老年人和 29 名年轻人参加了感官研究，53 名老年人参加了摄入量研究。
用 0、0.5、0.8、1.3 和 2.0 g/100g 的味精对食物进行了美味度评分。摄入量通过称重含味精（土豆泥中为 0.5%，菠菜和碎肉中为 2%）和不含味精的 2 餐的剩余物来测量。
土豆泥中 0.5%的味精（p<0.05）更受欢迎，但在菠菜和碎牛肉中没有找到最佳的味精浓度，可能是因为它们的味道复杂。含味精和不含味精的食物以及总餐之间的摄入量没有差异（均 p>0.68）。
味精（0.5%和 2%）并不能保证老年人的摄入量增加。老年人的化学感官异质性需要更多的个性化风味增强来改善饮食摄入量和感官体验。
