Foods, systems, methods, and kits for providing electrolyte replacement

Abstract

Described herein are methods, compositions, systems, and kits that effectively deliver a laxative to a patient along with effective electrolyte replenishment by delivering both a laxative and electrolytes via a food item. The food item is prepared by either combining, mixing, or integrating the ingredients that form the food item together with one of or both of a laxative and electrolytes so that the ingredients in the food item either eliminate or significantly reduce the poor taste associated with either the electrolytes or the laxative. Eliminating or reducing the poor taste associated with either electrolytes or laxative, greatly improves patient satisfaction and compliance with ingesting these substances in order to, for example, prepare the GI tract of the patient for a medical or surgical procedure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for manufacturing a composition containing polyethylene glycol, comprising:
 mixing the polyethylene glycol with a food ingredient and a hydrophobic binder at a temperature at or below 100 degrees Fahrenheit;   wherein the hydrophobic binder is in a melted state at said temperature.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is substantially free of a thermal degradation product of the polyethylene glycol formed at a temperature above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polyethylene glycol makes up 50% or more of the weight of the composition. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic binder is selected from the group consisting of coconut oil, lard, vegetable shortening, palm oil, cocoa butter, butter, or margarine. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mixing step results in the binder binding the polyethylene glycol and the food ingredient together. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the binder makes up 1% to 3% of a total weight of the composition. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is a homogenous mixture. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises a solid food item. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the composition is a bar. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mixing step forms a semi solid mixture comprising the polyethylene glycol, the food ingredient, and the binder. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising extruding the semi-solid mixture to form a solid food item sheet. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the solid food item sheet comprises a plurality of solid bars. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polyethylene glycol comprises PEG 3350. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mixing step further comprises mixing a natural flavoring substance, a nature-identical flavoring substance, an artificial flavoring substance or a combination thereof with the polyethylene glycol, the food ingredient, and the binder. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the natural flavoring substance comprises at least one of a lemon flavorant, a mint flavorant, a ginger flavorant, a pepper flavorant, a vanilla flavorant, a caramel flavorant or a chocolate comprising white chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, sweet chocolate, hard chocolate, soft chocolate, bitter chocolate, Cocoa mass, cocoa butter mix, and hard boiled toffees. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the natural flavoring substance comprises at least one of a lemon flavorant, a mint flavorant, a vanilla flavorant, a caramel flavorant or a chocolate flavorant.