Investigating the role of water in rheological and friction properties of pureed foods: A deep dive into avocado puree

We examined how water content and distribution shape the network structure and oral processing characteristics (i.e., rheology and friction properties) of pureed foods. Our findings suggested that a decrease in water content resulted in increased hardness, tighter binding between water and puree components, and a denser gel formation. When the ratio of avocado puree to water surpassed 1:1.5, the sample assumed a gel-like texture. Oral tribology tests revealed that in puree by water, lower viscosity yielded better lubrication. Nevertheless, as the proportion of slurry increased, the lubricating efficacy of lipid droplets and pectin became more pronounced, causing the friction coefficient to decline with increasing viscosity. Our study sheds light on the effects of water content on the rheology and friction of pureed foods, providing a straightforward solution for families dealing with different levels of swallowing challenges seeking safe food choices.