Blenderized tube feedings: Practice recommendations from the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

Prior to the 1970s, blending food and liquids and putting them through an enteral access device (EAD) was the most common form of enteral nutrition (EN). However, in the 1970s, blenderized tube feedings (BTFs) became less popular due to the emergence of modern commercial enteral formulas (CEFs). Recently, a cultural shift toward consuming a natural diet, consisting of whole foods, has led to a resurgence in the use of BTF. The increasing use of BTF in a variety of patient care settings identifies a need for practice recommendations that provide guidance for nutrition professionals and patients. Members of the American Society for Parental and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) Enteral Nutrition Committee identified salient clinical questions concerning BTF, conducted a comprehensive literature search, and subsequently developed practice recommendations pertaining to the use of BTF. This paper was approved by the ASPEN 2022-2023 Board of Directors.

Enteral nutrition product formulations: A review of available products and indications for use.

When oral nutrition is not feasible, enteral nutrition (EN) therapy is often considered the preferred route of nutrition support to meet the nutrient needs of individuals with a functional gastrointestinal tract across multiple levels of care (critical care, acute care, and home care). Enteral formulations have progressively evolved over the last 50 years from the simple blending of hospital food thin enough to run through a feeding tube, to the development of commercial standard formulas, followed by specialized formulas with immune-modulating and disease-specific qualities, to the most recent shift to food-based or blenderized EN composed of natural, whole foods with perceived health benefits. With the vast number of enteral formulations on the market, clinicians may be overwhelmed trying to determine proven vs theoretical benefits. This review is intended to explore differences in enteral formulations, identify implications for clinical practice, and review evidenced-based clinical guidelines to assist clinicians in enteral formula selection.