The effect of handling procedures on microbial contamination of enteral feeds.

Three of the most commonly used delivery systems in enteral feeding were evaluated for potential routes of contamination during assembly and delivery of feeds. Assembly of systems wearing sterile gloves gave no contamination in the feeds but all systems were contaminated when assembled either with bare unprotected hands or with hands experimentally contaminated with bacterial cells. Delivery of contamination-free feed was only possible with the use of sterile gloves.