Empowering healthier lives through nutrition

STUDY: Reduction in healthcare resource utilization and economic burden with commercially blenderized enteral formulas

A recent retrospective study, sponsored by NHSc and presented at the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition (NASPGHAN) annual meeting, concluded commercially blenderized enteral formulas (CBTF) with whole foods are associated with significant reductions in healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and economic burden in post-acute care compared to plant-based standard tube feeding formulas (STD-TF).¹

Outcomes

Pediatric patients prescribed a CBTF in post-acute care had:

• Less provider visits (inpatient, outpatient, urgent care and other services)
• Significantly lower adjusted mean costs associated with visits (inpatient, outpatient, emergency department, urgent care and other services).¹

CASE REPORT: Cow’s milk protein allergy managed with the use of Alfamino Infant after other nutrition regimens failed

A 3-month-old female was admitted to the hospital due to apnea during feeding. Following discharge, she was diagnosed with cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA), reflux and eczema. This patient also had a complicated history, which included difficulty latching during breastfeeding, tongue tie (treated and resolved), swallowing delay, failure to thrive, reflux and eczema.

The patient’s feeding history included a combination of breast milk and a milk-based infant formula for the first 11 weeks of life, after which she was switched to breast milk and a hypoallergenic infant formula (with the addition of a proton pump inhibitor) for the eight days preceding hospital admission for apnea. During hospitalization, the patient was switched to another hypoallergenic infant formula, but experienced worsening reflux and continuing eczema and was then switched to a third hypoallergenic formula. The care team’s dermatologist prescribed hydrocortisone, with no improvement of the rash. A second episode of apnea occurred while on the third hypoallergenic formula and the patient was ultimately switched to Alfamino Infant.

Outcomes

With the switch to Alfamino Infant, the patient’s rash resolved, reflux improved, no additional episodes of apnea were reported and growth improved. Cow’s milk protein allergy symptoms resolved after all other nutrition regimens failed.³

A patient's experience is representative of that individual only and may not represent all similarly situated patients.

Striving for a more sustainable future

As a global company, Nestlé is working to ensure its operations have a positive impact on both people and the planet. To this end, Nestlé has implemented numerous initiatives to reduce waste, eliminate plastics and optimize the use of energy and water.

• B Corporation Certified — As part of Nestlé’s journey to positively affect people and the planet, several NHSc businesses in the U.S. are now B Corporation Certified, which signifies a business is demonstrating high social and environmental performance, making a legal commitment to be accountable to all shareholders and exhibiting transparency in their performance.
• Eau Claire, WI manufacturing facility — This site is a zero waste-to-landfill and single-use plastic-free facility, with work underway to optimize the use of water. The facility was recognized in 2022 by the U.S. Dept. of Energy Better Plants initiative for reaching its energy reduction goal more than two years ahead of schedule.
• Bridgewater, NJ research and development operation — This site strives to keep waste out of landfills by implementing numerous recycling, composting and waste reduction initiatives. In October 2022, the site was recognized by the state’s Department of Environmental Protection’s annual Recycling Awards program and commended for demonstrating the importance of diverting waste to better protect natural resources.
• On track to achieve key sustainability objectives — By 2025, all NHSc factories and offices will be powered by 100% renewable electricity, and its operations will reduce the use of virgin plastic by one-third (from a 2018 baseline). Additionally, more than 95% of plastic packaging will be designed for recycling by 2025, with the ultimate goal of reaching 100% recycling across its operations.⁴

Expanding capacity to create supply assurance

NHSc is increasing its manufacturing and distribution operations to better serve customers, recently acquiring an additional manufacturing site in Savannah, Georgia. At its Eau Claire site in Wisconsin, Nestlé is investing $43 million to expand manufacturing and distribution capabilities. By expanding capacity, Nestlé can dual-source more products from multiple locations and help increase packaging options to create supply assurance. These investments are intended to:

• Bolster production capabilities
• Build business continuity
• Enhance sustainable packaging options
• Increase distribution locations for faster service⁵

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in dairy farming

Nestlé helps dairy farmers overcome the barriers to creating climate-smart dairy by supporting select farms in utilizing technologies and practices that drive down greenhouse gas emissions. For example, through an innovative collaboration with U.S. dairy farm, Royal Dairy, Nestlé and Royal Dairy aligned on four key areas of environmentally-focused innovation: cow feed, manure management, renewable energy and regenerative agriculture - to show how dairy milk can be a sustainable source of nutrition. Royal Dairy is a Vizient Awarded supplier, joining NHSc's family of dairy suppliers with Carnation Breakfast Essentials^® nutritional powder drink mix which is available through national retailers.

Working to preserve and protect threatened farmland

Fulfilling a lifelong dream, Dan and Sarah McClure of Washington state became full time farmers and founded Walla Walla Organics in 2011. The family farm sits on certified organic farmland and is conserved by the Washington Farmland Trust, a nonprofit land trust working to secure, preserve and steward threatened farmland, ensuring generations of local farmers can productively farm using sustainable and organic growing methods. Walla Walla Organics provides the kale used in Nestlé’s Compleat Organic Blends products.