AIR with Flavour
An innovative and exhilarating taste experience which stimulates smell and taste memory to enrich quality of life
What is AIR with Flavour?
“AIR with Flavour” allows people who are unable to eat and drink normally, the ability to taste again. It creates light airy foams, designed for people who have difficulty swallowing and who are usually tube fed. It does not require swallowing and leaves no solids or liquid in the mouth, instead… an exhilarating taste experience.
With “Flavoured Air”, smell and taste memory can be stimulated basally through intensive flavours and aromas. This type of stimulation is mostly used in intensive and palliative care. A person who is fed through a tube experiences no taste stimulation. Feeding them light foam with an intensive taste, which does not need to be swallowed, opens up a new quality of life through the taste experience activated by the airy foams. This technique is known as Basal Stimulation.
Above all in the case of people recovering from a stroke or brain injury, this type of stimulation can often be the first step in the road to recovery of regaining the swallowing reflex.
AIR with Flavour foams can be created from almost any liquid with AIR Instant including: tea, coffee, juices, beer, red wine, whisky, soup and broth. Simple to use with quick and easy preparation.
The aerated foam dissolves in the mouth instantly allowing intense taste stimulus without the need for swallowing
Where can AIR with Flavour be used?
The air pump is battery-operated and can therefore be used directly at the resident’s bedside, by care staff on a ward, or by family members at home.
Who can benefit from AIR with Flavour?
- Residents with Dysphagia
- Enteral, Parental or PEG nutrition patients
- Stroke survivors
- People living with Parkinsons and Alzheimer’s disease
- Individuals with Motor Neurone disease
- Survivors of Traumatic Brain Injury
- Ladies and gentlemen at the end of life
- People with mouth and throat cancer
Why use AIR with Flavour?
- Easy and hygienic to use
- Instantly soluble, nothing is swallowed
- Suitable to be used with any type of liquid
(i.e. fruit juices, red wine, coffee, sauces, meat stock etc)
- Re-foamable up to 30 times – 1 sachet lasts for 24 hours
- Purely vegetable based, suitable for vegetarians and vegans
- Free from gluten and lactose
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is AIR with Flavour?
- An innovative system that turns liquid into intensely flavoured foam bubbles.
- Foam bubbles can be placed in the mouth which instantly dissolve without the need to swallow.
- Allows patients who are nil by mouth an amazing taste of their favourite flavour.
- Provides comfort and improves quality of life helping to minimize the anxiety and distress of being nil by mouth.
- Can greatly assist in rehabilitation producing quality dry swallows.
Who is it suitable for?
- It has been used in many settings including; EOL care, palliative, ICU, stroke spinal injury, rehab, MND and with children
What is in the sachets?
- There are two food grade ingredients which are Maltodextrin and Soy Lecithin, these help to emulsify the liquid and stabilise the foam.
- They are unflavoured.
Can it be used with any liquids?
- Apart from milk products it works well with most liquids no thicker than a level one, including alcohol beverages, juices, coffee, curry sauce, gravy etc.
How often can someone have it?
- There is no limit to how much someone can have, this is normally down to how the individual copes and manages it.
Do I need a new sachet each time?
- A new sachet is required each time a fresh liquid is prepared.
- Once prepared the liquid can be re-foamed a number of times for continued enjoyment.
Is it safe?
- Whilst we always recommend it is used under professional supervision, it is certainly a low risk alternative to other tasting options.
Does it leave any residue?
- Residue from the aerated bubbles is minimal and quickly dissolves with a patients normal saliva.
Can it stimulate swallows?
- Yes, depending on the liquid used i.e. Citrus lemon, it can increase saliva production and stimulate the swallow reflex.
Can it be used multi patient?
- The pump and tubing can be used multi patient, the pipettes are classed as single use
How do I clean the equipment?
- The recommended method for general cleaning of the pump and tubing is with a green Clinell wipe.
- The pipettes are sold as single use.
Is it available on prescription?
- At this moment the products are unavailable on prescription.
What evidence is available?
- Marketed as a quality of life product we don’t have much research or any clinical evidence available.
- There are a number of trusts and independents collecting data as they use it, this will hopefully be available in due course.
How long has it been around for?
- Introduced into the UK around 5 years ago, it is only recently become popular through increased product awareness and word of mouth.
