No effect of 16 weeks flavor enhancement on dietary intake and nutritional status of nursing home elderly.

There is a lack of data to support the long-term effect of flavor enhancement on food intake and nutritional status. Our aim was to determine if daily addition of 700 mg flavor and/or 300 mg monosodium glutamate (MSG) to the animal protein part of the cooked meal for 16 weeks leads to an increase in energy intake and in body weight in nursing home elderly. We performed a single blind randomized 16 weeks parallel study consisting of a control group (n=23), a MSG group (n=19), a flavor group (n=19) and a flavor plus MSG group (n=22). Main outcome measures were intake of the cooked meal, which was measured by weighing back leftovers during 14 days and body weight. Both were measured before and at the end of the intervention period. After 16 weeks, energy intake and body weight did not increase within the control group, the flavor group, the flavor plus MSG group and the MSG group. Between the groups, no differences were found in changes in energy intake and body weight. Enhancing the taste of a cooked meal with flavor and/or MSG does not lead to a higher energy intake and body weight among nursing home elderly. More research is needed to determine the efficacy of flavor enhancement on intake and nutritional status.