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Written by: Chen Jiahui
2020-11-19 11:00
Last update date: 2020-11-19 12:13
After having tasted all the flavors of life, who would want to grow old and tasteless?
The elderly may have difficulty in swallowing due to the decline of their physical functions. They can only eat a "paste meal" made by crushing several kinds of food. Some elderly people have poor appetite and malnutrition, and even have to insert their nose and throat to feed.
Zhong Qianying, the founder of the food technology start-up company Swallow Easy, couldn't bear to switch to liquid food after a stroke, and his appetite was greatly reduced. So he started a business with his friends and established the first local company to research and develop soft meal food technology. The product price is nearly lower than that of imported products. half.
This year's budget has allocated an additional 75 million yuan to provide soft meals in residential care homes for the elderly, and the team's confidence has greatly increased.
In fact, stroke or Parkinson's disease can affect the swallowing ability of the elderly. Recovered patients such as nasopharyngeal cancer also have swallowing problems more often and can only eat pasta or soft meals.
A 2015 study by the University of Hong Kong estimated that there are about 45,000 elderly residents in Hong Kong suffering from swallowing disorders.
Grandpa had a stroke and could only eat liquid, determined to develop soft meals for the elderly
Zhong Qianying said that her grandfather had a stroke and had difficulty swallowing. He could only eat liquid food. At that time, she often went to Japan for work and found that the local soft food market was quite mature. So she asked herself: "How about Hong Kong? I am old, can I eat better instead of these?” So I recruited friends who have experience in food business and scientific research to join me, determined to develop lower-priced, better-quality soft meals for the elderly, and improve the quality of life of the elderly .
The soft food is not crushed, it can maintain its original appearance and nutrition, and it can be eaten by simply heating it.
(Photo by Gao Zhongming)
In contrast to a mashed meal that is made from a variety of crushed foods and has less appealing taste and presentation, soft meal foods are not crushed, which preserves their original appearance and nutrition, but are easier to swallow than ordinary foods.
However, due to cost and manpower, most homes can only provide soft meals for the elderly who have difficulty swallowing during major periods. On other days, they can only provide soft meals.
Another member of Easy Swallow, Huang Jianyi, believes that soft meals are not yet popular in Hong Kong. The main reason is that the prices are higher. Local sources are mostly imported from Japan or imported food softening powder is processed locally. A box of broccoli fried beef soft meal , The price can be as high as 60 yuan.
He said that Swallow Easy is the first local soft meal technology research and development company, and has successfully reduced the price of soft meal to 25 yuan per box, which is more affordable for hospitals and ordinary families.
He pointed out that soft meals can increase the appetite of the elderly. "If the elderly have no appetite and do not want to eat and have to infuse them, the elderly will only degenerate faster."
Facilitate family caregivers' home-made simple special paste meals
Zhong Qianying introduced that if family caregivers want to make special batter meals for the elderly, they can also use their creativity. For example, they can separately mash the barbecued pork, garlic kale, etc., add shaping powder, and put them into a mold made of tin foil. The shape and taste are more like a real paste meal.
As for the elderly with low swallowing problems but weak teeth or wearing dentures, food softening powder can also be used to soften the food by about half to facilitate chewing.
People who have difficulty swallowing are prone to "turmoil" when drinking water. You can add edible thickeners to the drink to reduce the risk and allow the patient to get enough water.
Zhong Qianying also said that the thickeners developed by the team can be sold at 30 to 50% lower than imported products, and are mainly for hospitals and hospitals.
The team expects that the product will be available for purchase on the soft meal platform Mealingful within this month, and is expected to be available on the online shopping platform HKTVMall next month.
After about a year of research and development, the product can be launched. Zhong Qianying said frankly: "(soft meal research and development) can be so difficult, but are there anyone willing to do it?" She continued, although the elderly market is large, the cruel ones are consumers They are not willing to spend money on the elderly, and the profits of elderly products are low, so everyone would rather make BB products.
The budget allocates 75 million a year to subsidize institutions to provide soft meals to increase team confidence
This year's Budget proposes that the government allocates an additional 75 million yuan each year to subsidize elderly homes to provide soft meals.
Zhong Qianying said that the news greatly increased the confidence of the team.
But how to make consumers more willing to spend money on the elderly?
She confessed that it depends on whether everyone cares about the elders. "Elderly people who have no appetite are prone to malnutrition, and they will see the elderly lose weight all the way." But she is confident that the soft meal market will develop further in the future, because now the younger generation will get older. Will want to eat better.
Too easy was selected as a start-up company of the 4th "Start-up Soaring Project".
The "Start-up Ascension Project" is organized by the Hong Kong Startups Association under the Federation of Hong Kong Industries to assist start-ups to accelerate their development. With the theme of food technology this year, the 11 start-up technologies selected include sustainable farming and research and development of cell culture meat , Water-soluble bags that can replace plastic bags, etc.
Zhao Ziqiao, chairman of the Hong Kong Startup Association, said that the Federation has more than 1,000 corporate members, covering 32 industrial groups. In the process, member companies help start-ups to connect with people, contact potential customers and investors, and provide industrial technical assistance and technical assistance. Experience sharing, etc.
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