Investigating Compliance, Sensory Acceptance, and Gastrointestinal Tolerance of Oral Nutritional Supplements in Healthy Volunteers

Kutsuo Katoni*

Abstract

Oral nutritional supplements (ONS) have become an essential nutritional support tool for individuals at risk of or experiencing malnutrition. Despite their benefits, real-world effectiveness depends on more than just nutritional composition—it hinges on how well they are tolerated, accepted in terms of taste, and consistently consumed. This study investigates the compliance, palatability, and gastrointestinal (GI) tolerance of a standard ONS in healthy adults. Among 40 participants over 7 days, the supplement demonstrated a 90% compliance rate, an average palatability score of 4.0/5, and good GI tolerance in 85% of individuals. These outcomes reflect improvements in product formulation and support the growing use of ONS in preventive and therapeutic settings.