Investigating the Nutrient Content of Enteral Diets in Mashhad Hospitals and Designing A Blenderized Tube Feeding for Hospitals

Background: Some patients cannot feed orally and use enteral nutrition to meet their daily food needs. This study aimed to investigate the calories and macronutrients of enteral formulas prepared in Mashhad hospitals and to design blenderized tube feeding for hospitals.Methods: Fifteen samples were taken from each hospital to measure the energy and macronutrients of enteral formulas of Mashhad hospitals. Fresh and natural foods were also used to design blenderized tube feeding.Results: The present study showed that the calories of blenderized tube feeding prepared in the hospitals were between ۸۱-۹۷ kcal/۱۰۰ mL and in commercial enteral formula between ۸۰-۹۶ kcal/۱۰۰ mL. In addition, protein, fat, and carbohydrates of blenderized tube feeding prepared in hospitals were between ۸-۱۶%, ۳۱-۳۹, and ۵۱-۵۶%, respectively. Also, commercial enteral formula’s protein, fat, and carbohydrates in hospitals were between ۱۳-۱۵%, ۳۰-۳۵, and ۴۹-۵۵%, respectively. Energy, protein, fat and carbohydrate of blenderized tube feeding designed from fresh and natural foods were between ۱۰۲-۱۱۲ kcal/۱۰۰ mL, ۱۶-۲۳%, ۳۱-۳۴%, and ۴۵-۵۱%, respectively.Conclusion: The blenderized tube feeding prepared in hospitals and the commercial enteral formula did not meet the energy requirement of ۱ kcal/mL. In addition, the energy and macronutrients of the blenderized tube feeding were used in the present study to design fresh and natural foods and were within the recommended range for patients.