Conclusions
In this study using MRI, we have demonstrated that a NGTF containing alginate results in an intragastric appearance consistent with the development of a gel surrounded by a halo of freely mobile water. Differences in gastrointestinal response, including SBWC and GCV, were demonstrated between this feed and a non-gelling feed. The stability, however, of these differences over a longer feeding period and their clinical relevance are not fully understood. Future studies are required over a longer time, and in clinical populations using a gelling, alginate-containing feed and a matched alginate-free feed.