Commercially produced complete nutritional formulas (CFs) are commonly delivered to children requiring enteral nutrition via gastrostomy. However, a cultural shift toward consuming a more natural diet consisting of whole foods has caused the use of blenderized tube feeds (BTFs) to grow in popularity among parents and carers in recent years. There are advantages and disadvantages of both BTF and CF use. There is evidence that suggests that BTFs can significantly improve tube-feeding tolerance and reduce gastrointestinal symptoms associated with tube feeding, such as gagging, retching, and constipation, thereby resulting in an improved quality of life (QoL) for enterally fed children and their caregivers. BTFs have also been implicated in increasing the diversity of the gut microbiota in enterally fed children. However, concerns have been raised that BTFs may be inferior to CFs in energy and nutrition sufficiency. Issues such as microbial contamination, tube blockages, and difficulties in preparation and administration may also complicate the use of BTFs. Additionally, like CFs, BTFs can vary significantly in nutrition composition, and dietitian involvement with BTF use is crucial. The current literature on the clinical outcomes of BTF use is limited, and further research is needed before recommendations can be made on BTF use in children. A literature review was conducted to compare clinical outcomes between BTFs and CFs and evaluate the feasibility of BTF use in children.
Keywords: blenderized tube feeding; commercial formula; enteral nutrition; gastrointestinal symptoms; gastrostomy; pediatrics.
© 2020 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.