Rheological and thermal properties of an enteral nutrition formula for nutritional support patients using a combined mixture of gelatin and maltodextrin

Enteral nutrition is a type of nutritional support that provides the necessary sources of energy and protein for patients who suffer from dysphagia, chronic disease, and loss of appetite. In this study, a gelatin-maltodextrin binary biopolymer system has been incorporated into a semi-solid formula. The I-optimal combination design approach was used to create 19 formulations, and the dynamic rheological properties, dynamic laser scattering, and zeta potential responses were evaluated over 30 days of storage at 5°C. Solid viscoelastic behavior has been approved since G′ > G″ in the frequency sweep test with no cross-over point. Maltodextrin may interfere within the gelatin network, and increasing the maltodextrin to gelatin (from 0.14 to 1) may lead to a wider linear viscoelastic (LVE) strain range (2.16%), a lower storage modulus at LVE (52%), a lower yield stress (46%), and a lower glass transition temperature (34%). The presence of maltodextrin may reduce the temperature of the sol-to-solid transformation by 48% and enhance its flexibility. In contrast, increasing the gelatin-to-maltodextrin ratio following melting at 37°C led to an increase in the cumulant mean and polydispersity index, indicating a relatively unstable system. The range of zeta potential values between −4.4 and 1.7 mV confirmed a tendency toward coagulation. Microscopic images revealed instability because of irregular or compact chains formed in the gelatin matrix by using higher amounts of maltodextrin. Finally, the best formula had the best rheological stability and was suitable for tube-feeding patients, with a gelatin-to-maltodextrin ratio of 4.35:3.64% w/w on day 17.4.