P250 - AN ORAL NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT CONTAINING MARINE MICROALGAE SCHIZOCHYTRIUM (DHA) IS WELL COMPLIED WITH AND ACCEPTED IN PAEDIATRIC POPULATIONS

P250

AN ORAL NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT CONTAINING MARINE MICROALGAE SCHIZOCHYTRIUM (DHA) IS WELL COMPLIED WITH AND ACCEPTED IN PAEDIATRIC POPULATIONS

B. Green¹, V. Prebble², K. Purchase¹, K. Donald^1,*

¹AYMES, Leek, ²Independent Researcher, Kent, United Kingdom

Rationale: Paediatric oral nutritional supplements (ONS) play a crucial role in supporting growth and nutritional status in children with or at risk of disease-related malnutrition (DRM). Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is essential for cognitive development and overall health, yet no ONS in Europe has incorporated DHA until now. This study evaluated the compliance, tolerance and palatability, acceptability and safety, of a novel paediatric ONS containing DHA.

Methods: Following a 3-day baseline, n=15 children aged 1-10 years (age: 7.7 years) with or at risk of DRM and/or growth failure received at least 200ml of a nutritionally complete, 1.5kcal/ml, 8g protein (per 200ml), ready-to-drink milkshake style ONS (ActaJuni, AYMES) for 9-days. Compliance, palatability, gastrointestinal (GI) tolerance and safety were assessed at baseline throughout the intervention.

Results: Compared to baseline ONS (73%), compliance increased >10% with ActaJuni (85%). GI tolerance remained stable from baseline to endpoint with no adverse or serious adverse events reported. 100% of children rated ActaJuni as acceptable for appearance, taste and consistency with the majority preferring ActaJuni to their baseline ONS.

Conclusion: This novel ready-to-drink paediatric ONS, the first in the UK to include DHA, demonstrated excellent compliance and high acceptability in children with DRM and growth challenges. Furthermore, as ActaJuni is 50-65% cheaper per 200ml than other market leaders (true as of April 2025), these findings support ActaJuni as a cost-effective potential intervention for paediatric nutritional management.

Disclosure of Interest: B. Green Other: Ben Green is an employee of AYMES., V. Prebble: None declared, K. Purchase Other: Karyn Purchase is an employee of AYMES., K. Donald: None declared