DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7701-100-6-0167

FYZIKÁLNE A ORGANOLEPTICKÉ VLASTNOSTI JEDLÝCH GÉLOV

PHYSICAL AND ORGANOLEPTIC PROPERTIES OF EDIBLE GELS

Melina Korčok¹, Peter Hlaváč², Miroslav Veverka³, Vladimír Vietoris¹

¹ Ústav potravinárstva, Fakulta biotechnológie a potravinárstva, Slovenská poľnohospodárska univerzita v Nitre, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovensko

² Ústav elektrotechniky, automatizácie, informatiky a fyziky, Technická fakulta, Slovenská poľnohospodárska univerzita v Nitre, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovensko

³ Certex, a.s., Bratislava, Slovensko

With the growing number of seniors, there is an increasing need to develop safe and nutritionally balanced foods that are tailored to the specific needs of this age group. Physiological and pathological changes, particularly in the oral cavity, can make it difficult for seniors to eat hard or sticky foods, increasing the risk of health complications. In this context, edible gels are becoming a promising form of food and nutritional supplements as they offer a texture that is easy and safe to consume. The gel matrix can be enriched with biologically active substances, fiber, and other nutrients that contribute to seniors' health and prevent nutritional deficiencies. Gel-forming polysaccharides such as arabinogalactan (AG) and beta-glucan (BG) can be used to formulate gels. Statistically significant differences were found between AG and BG-based hydrogels in terms of physical (viscosity, texture) and organoleptic properties. The results suggest that when developing gel products for seniors, it is crucial to consider not only physical properties but also sensory aspects such as fluidity, intensity of bitter taste, and flavor, which significantly influence the acceptability of these products.

Keywords: edible gels, beta-glucan, arabinogalactan, texture, viscosity, sensory analysis

pages: 167-172, online: 2026