The impairments of physiological functions caused by aging are common problems in the elderly, especially the impairments of sensory perception. Besides, close relationship between food sensory perception and nutritional status also suggests the importance of dietary management for the elderly population. The foods taking sensory perception into account are urgently needed by the elderly. This review analyzed sensory perception changes and their effects on food behaviors and nutritional status. Besides, sensory properties essential for aged-foods and acquisition methods, as well as current status of such foods were summarized. Soft, smooth and moisty foods were more suitable for the elderly with chewing and swallowing dysfunction, which can be prepared by gelation, enzyme treatment, blade tenderization and other non-thermal technologies. Flavor enhancement/enrichment, irritant addition and packet sauces were recommended to compensate the impairment of chemical sensory. Molds, piping bag and 3D printing were suggested for refining appearance of pureed foods, and improving appetite of the elderly.

China is grappling with significant aging challenge, and food patterns play an important role in the health of aging populations. A comprehensive bibliometric analysis with regard to systematically examined population-based studies published between 1 June 2014 and 31 May 2024, and 83 eligible studies, including 43 cross-sectional, 34 longitudinal, and 6 case–control studies, was conducted to investigate the correlations among foods, dietary patterns, and healthy aging concepts. An interesting conclusion from cohort studies was that foods recommended for intake in certain diets might not be recommended in other diets, i.e., food items in various diets showed different contributions. This dual character of foods exhibited in the diet is termed foodnality, a new concept proposed in this study. Foodnality was partially related to the origins, quality, and processing of foods, as well as individual physical status. Therefore, recommended foods with positive foodnality and unrecommended foods with negative foodnality were summarized, and four-dimensional diet recommendations were further proposed, including choosing a suitable dietary pattern, evaluating positive foodnality, upgrading foodnality to a premium diet, and cultivating healthier dietary concepts. This review plays a pivotal role in evaluating the guidelines on food intake and dietary patterns among elderly residents in China.