Abstract
Aim: We investigated and compared the semi-solidification properties when elemental or semi-elemental diets, which became used frequently for medical treatment at home practically, were gelated or semi-solidified with various food thickening or gelation agents.
Method: Easygel®, Reflanon® and Faset Powder® were used as food thickening/gelation agents. These were added in elemental diet or semi-elemental diets and examined properties of matter. In addition, we carried out disintegration tests and dissolution tests to investigate the changes of forms of each nutrients with the thickening/gelation agents in the gastrointestinal tract.
Result: We could prepare pudding-like semisolid nutrients with Easygel® for both elemental diet and semi-elemental diets, though we could not prepare gelated or semisolid nutrients with Reflanon® or Faset Powder®. Moreover, it was shown that all of semisolid nutrients with Easygel® maintained their forms in the artificial gastric juice, but that the nutrients which had been added with Reflanon®or Faset Powder® could not maintain their forms in the artificial gastric juice, and dispersed and dissolved into the simulated gastric juice. On the other hand, all of semisolid nutrients including Easygel®-derived gel were dispersed and dissolved into the artificial intestinal juice.
Conclusion: It can be expected that Easygel® would be desirable for convenient semi-solidification of elemental diets and semi-elemental diets, and that Easygel®-derived gels would be useful for prevention of aspiration pneumonia caused by gastroesophageal reflux.
