Designing an IDDSI level 2 compliant punch-type reduced-salt chicken meat floss drink via ultrasonic marination and rheological regulation

Adequate intake of high-quality protein is imperative for patients with dysphagia. A significant challenge with many chicken-based supplements is their poor taste and high salt content. Therefore, optimizing palatability while reducing salt is a key obstacle that must be addressed in the development. This study employed chicken breast meat as the raw material and investigate the effects of ultrasound power (0-525 W), ultrasound time (10-50 min), and marinade concentration (0-2.5%) on its quality. The results indicated that ultrasonic treatment at 300 W for 20 min with a 1.5% marinade concentration effectively reduced cooking loss rate (10.7 ± 1.05%) and hardness (2352.15 ± 90.1 g), while also weakening the mechanical action of connective tissue and enhancing the lateral stretchability of muscle fibers. The treated chicken meat was processed into floss and incorporated into a drink. The rheological properties were then regulated using xanthan gum (XG) and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) to meet the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) Level 2. The results show that adding 0.9% CMC, 0.08% XG and 3.5% chicken meat floss can prepare a drink suitable for dysphagia. The resulting formulation and processing strategy offer a practical framework for developing low-salt, texture-modified foods suitable for patients with dysphagia applications. • Ultrasonic marination enables salt reduction and improved tenderness in chicken breast meat. • The formulated chicken floss drink provides a safe and protein-rich for dysphagia. • A synergistic blend of XG and CMC achieves ideal rheology for IDDSI Level 2.