Clinical effects of pediatric commercial food-based formulas: A systematic review

Blenderized tube feeding (BTF) uses a feeding tube to deliver blended whole foods directly to the gastrointestinal (GI) system and has had renewed interest over the last two decades. This was initially delivered in the form of homemade BTF (HBTF) and led to the development of commercial food-based formula (CFBF). The safety and clinical outcome data for CFBF are limited. From our systematic review of the clinical benefits of pediatric CFBF, we found that families are very satisfied with CFBF despite the paucity of research. Most included studies evaluated both HBTF and CFBF, with only a few evaluating CFBF alone. The limited data suggests that CFBF may improve upper and lower GI symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, retching, constipation, and diarrhea; however, the effects of CFBF on growth have been mixed.