Thickener Composition, Thickened Nutritive Products, Methods For Preparing Thickened Nutritive Products, And Methods For Providing Nutrition

A thickened breast milk product comprising:

• breast milk;
• xanthan gum, said xanthan gum being present in an amount effective to thicken said breast milk to a viscosity suitable for ingestion by dysphagic infants;
• and
• a chelating agent, said chelating agent being present in an amount effective to increase the bioavailability to a dysphagic infant of at least one mineral selected from the group consisting of iron, zinc, and calcium relative to the absence of the chelating agent.

A baby formula comprising:

• nutritive components suitable for ingestion by an infant, said nutritive components including at least one mineral selected from the group consisting of iron, calcium, and zinc;
• xanthan gum, said xanthan gum being present in an amount effective to provide a viscosity suitable for ingestion by dysphagic infants;
• and
• a chelating agent, said chelating agent being present in an amount effective to increase the bioavailability to a dysphagic infant of said mineral relative to the absence of said chelating agent.