Designing blenderized tube feeding diets for children and investigating their physicochemical and microbial properties and Dietary Inflammatory Index

Background Due to the benefits of blenderized tube feeding (BTF) diets, the interest in using them is increasing. This study aimed to design BTFs for children and investigate their physicochemical and microbial properties, as well as Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII). Methods Five BTF diets were formulated mainly with fresh foods; their DII, physical (viscosity), and chemical (moisture, ash, protein, fat, energy, and micronutrients) characteristics were assessed. Also, the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system was implemented for quality assurance of preparation, storage, and delivery of BTFs to patients in hospital. The microbial contamination (total count, Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus coagulase positive, mold, and yeast) was analyzed. Results Energy and percentages of protein, fat, and carbohydrate in BTFs were in the range of 103-112 kcal/100 ml, 16%-22%, 28%-34%, and 48%-52%, respectively. The viscosity of the five developed BTFs was between 29 and 64 centipoises, which allows the formulas to flow without syringe pressure. The DII of all BTFs was between -0.73 and -2.24. Due to the implementation of HACCP, monitoring the production line of BTFs, and performance of corrective measures, no microbial contamination was observed by indicator pathogenic microorganisms. Conclusion A planned BTF diet can be an excellent selection for children using enteral nutrition with tube feeding especially when they are made from fresh and anti-inflammatory foods such as recipes prepared in this study.

Automated summary

This study aimed to design blenderized tube feeding (BTF) diets for children and investigate their physicochemical and microbial properties, as well as Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII). The formulated BTFs primarily consisted of fresh foods and were assessed for their nutritional content, viscosity, and microbial contamination. The results showed that the BTFs met the energy and nutrient requirements for children, had suitable viscosity, and were free from microbial contamination. The implementation of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system ensured the quality and safety of the BTFs.