Abstract: An apparatus is useful for dye marking a liquid enteral nutritional product during delivery thereof from a supply container to a feeding tube delivering the nutritional product to the gastrointestinal tract of a patient. A formulation chamber, such as a drip chamber, is connectable to the supply container. At least one sustained release reservoir containing a physiologically acceptable marker dye is positioned within the formulation chamber, or if not, is included as part of a kit. The sustained release reservoir may be in the form of a coated tablet, osmotically driven device, coated capsule, microencapsulated microspheres, agglomerated molecular sieving material, or chopped hollow fibers having permeable walls. A liquid communication means connects the formulation chamber to the feeding tube of a patient. The marker dye may be a colorant dye or a fluorescing dye or a mixture thereof.

Abstract: A method for dye marking a liquid enteral nutritional product during delivery thereof from a supply container to a feeding tube delivering the nutritional product to the gastrointestinal tract of a patient includes the steps of: (1) providing apparatus such as a formulation chamber, e.g., a drip chamber, connectable to the supply container, with at least one sustained release reservoir containing a physiologically acceptable and dispersible marker dye positioned within the formulation chamber, and, liquid communication means connecting the formulation chamber to the feeding tube of a patient; (2) providing a supply container containing the nutritional product; (3) connecting the formulation chamber to the supply container and the liquid commmunication means to the feeding tube; and (4) flowing the dye-marked nutritional product through the apparatus and into the feeding tube.

Abstract: A lid for a container designed to contain powder or granular materials includes a lip on an interior or bottom surface of the lid for selectively attaching a scoop. The lip is resiliently deformable when an edge of the scoop is pressed against it. This deforming creates an interference fit, thereby securing the scoop to the undersurface of the lid. When the scoop is to be used, it can be easily removed from the lid without the need for rooting and searching within the container for the lid.