Effect of commercially available thickening agents on ready-to-feed infant formulas

Because of the importance of providing the appropriate fluid consistency for effective management of swallowing problems (dysphagia) in infants, this project sought to determine the effect of three commercially available thickening agents on the resulting thickened consistencies of commonly prescribed, ready-to-feed infant formulas. Nine ready-to-feed infant formulas were thickened with three different thickening agents to nectar and honey consistencies following manufacturer's instructions and their resulting thickness was measured via line spread test (LST). The nine formulas with nothing added to them (thin liquids) and the 27 target-nectar and 27 target-honey samples together created 63 unique samples for comparison. A series of one-way analysis of variance analyses were conducted to determine if the resulting thickness (as measured by LST values) for target categories of nectar and honey consistencies was significantly influenced by the type of thickening agent used. The achieved thickness of the formula samples as measured by LST values was statistically significantly different for the three different types of thickening agents used to achieve a target nectar consistency, F (2, 24) = 15.55, p < .001, η p 2 = .709. Additionally, the achieved thickness of the formula samples was statistically significantly different for the three different types of thickening agents used to achieve a target honey consistency, F (2, 24) = 16.18, p < .001, η p 2 = .709. The results of this study reveal that the choice of thickening agent impacts the resulting thickness of ready-to-feed infant formula.

Serving Temperature Viscosity Measurements of Nectar- and Honey-Thick Liquids

This study reports the viscosity (thickness) of nectar- and honey-thick liquids measured at a typical serving temperature. Centipoise (cP) measurements were compared for three products (two starch and one gum-based thickener) mixed with five beverages that set for three time intervals (manufacturer-recommended time to thicken, 10 min, and 30 min). The serving temperature of the cold beverages was 4 degrees C (water, apple juice, orange juice, and milk), and the hot beverage (coffee) was measured at 70 degrees C. Statistical analysis showed that all factors interacted with one another, meaning that the viscosity of a nectar- or honey-like liquid varies greatly depending on the type of thickening agent and beverage combination in relation to the amount of time it thickens. Simply Thick, the gum-based thickener, typically produced samples that were the least viscous but they maintained a more consistent level of thickness over time. Serving temperature results are contrasted with viscosity measurements collected at room temperature, showing variable thickening patterns especially related to the type of thickening agent.