DEVICES AND METHODS FOR PREPARING AND ADMINISTERING A NUTRITIONAL FORMULA

1 . A device comprising:

one or more chambers;

immobilized lipase contained within one of the one or more chambers;

a phytosterol processing excipient contained within one of the one or more chambers;

an inlet fluidly connected to one of the one or more chambers, wherein the inlet is configured to receive nutritional formula into one of the one or more chambers; and

an outlet through which nutritional formula is configured to flow after passing through the one or more chambers.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more chambers comprises at least two chambers, and wherein the at least two chambers are fluidly connected to one another.

3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the immobilized lipase is contained within a first of the at least two chambers, and the phytosterol processing excipient is contained within a second of the at least two chambers.

4 . The device of claim 3 , further comprising a third chamber fluidly connected to the second chamber.

5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the phytosterol processing excipient is one of a cyclodextrin or a phytosterol metabolizing enzyme.

6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more chambers comprises one chamber, and the immobilized lipase and the phytosterol processing excipient are both contained within the one chamber.

7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more chambers comprises a first chamber and a second chamber, and the immobilized lipase and the phytosterol processing excipient are both contained within the first chamber, and the second chamber is a phytosterol collection reservoir.

8 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a connector coupled to the outlet, wherein the connector is configured to connect the outlet to one of a parenteral feeding attachment or an enteral feeding attachment.

9 . A device comprising:

a first chamber configured to fluidly connect to a source of nutritional formula;

a second chamber fluidly connected to the first chamber;

immobilized lipase contained within the first chamber and positioned within a flow path along which the nutritional formula flows when received within the first chamber;

a phytosterol processing excipient contained within the second chamber and positioned within a flow path along which the nutritional formula flows when received within the second chamber; and

an outlet through which the nutritional formula is configured to flow after passing through the first chamber and the second chamber.

10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the outlet is configured to be connected to a parenteral feeding attachment or an enteral feeding attachment.

11 . The device of claim 9 , further comprising a third chamber fluidly connected to the second chamber.

12 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the phytosterol processing excipient is one of a cyclodextrin or a phytosterol metabolizing enzyme.

13 . A device comprising:

a chamber;

an inlet configured to receive a nutritional formula into the chamber;

an outlet configured to allow the nutritional formula to exit the chamber; and

a phytosterol processing excipient contained within the chamber.

14 . The device of claim 13 , wherein the phytosterol processing excipient is one of a cyclodextrin or a phytosterol metabolizing enzyme.

15 . The device of claim 13 , wherein the phytosterol processing excipient is an enzyme configured to bioconvert a phytosterol into a cholesterol.

16 . The device of claim 13 , further comprising at least one of an antioxidant or an immobilized lipase contained within the chamber.

17 . The device of claim 13 , further comprising a parenteral feeding attachment or an enteral feeding attachment fluidly connected to the chamber via one or more conduits or connectors.

18 . The device of claim 13 , wherein the chamber is a first chamber and the device further comprises a second chamber fluidly connected to the first chamber.

19 . The device of claim 18 , wherein the second chamber is a phytosterol collection reservoir.

20 . The device of claim 18 , wherein the second chamber contains immobilized lipase.

21 . A method of removing phytosterol comprises:

mixing cyclodextrin with a nutritional formula containing the phytosterol;

allowing the cyclodextrin to bind with the phytosterol to form a cyclodextrin-phytosterol conjugate; and

removing the cyclodextrin-phytosterol conjugate from the nutritional formula.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the cyclodextrin includes free cyclodextrin and wherein the method further comprises (i) adding free cyclodextrin to the nutritional formula prior to mixing the cyclodextrin with the nutritional formula and (ii) precipitating out the cyclodextrin-phytosterol conjugate prior to removing the cyclodextrin-phytosterol conjugate.

23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the cyclodextrin includes cyclodextrin immobilized to a solid matrix and wherein the method further comprises adding the immobilized cyclodextrin to the nutritional formula prior to mixing the cyclodextrin with the nutritional formula.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein removing the cyclodextrin-phytosterol conjugate from the nutritional formula includes removing the solid matrix from the nutritional formula.

25 . The method of claim 21 , wherein at least one of mixing the cyclodextrin with the nutritional formula containing phytosterol or allowing the cyclodextrin to bind with the phytosterol includes agitating the nutritional formula and/or heating the nutritional formula.

26 . The method of claim 21 , wherein separating the phytosterol from the nutritional formula includes at least one of filtering, centrifugation, or elutriation.

27 . The method of claim 21 , wherein mixing the cyclodextrin with the nutritional formula containing phytosterol includes creating a solution of supersaturated cyclodextrins.