Enterosorption in the management of foodborne diseases: pathogenetic basis and clinical effectiveness of modern sorbents
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15574/SP.2026.1(153).714Keywords:
foodborne diseases, enterosorption, enterosorbents, silicon dioxide, acute diarrhea, intoxicationAbstract
Foodborne diseases remain a significant global public health concern, contributing substantially to morbidity and mortality, particularly among young children, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals. Their pathogenesis involves both infectious injury and toxin-mediated intestinal and systemic effects. In addition to rehydration and etiotropic therapy, enterosorption represents a pathogenetically justified approach aimed at intraluminal detoxification through binding and elimination of pathogens, toxins, and metabolic byproducts from the gastrointestinal tract.
Aim - to analyze current scientific evidence on the efficacy, safety, and mechanisms of action of enterosorbents in food-related diseases and to determine the most suitable therapeutic option.
Modern enterosorbents are characterized by a large active surface area, high sorption capacity, and broad adsorption spectrum. Preparations based on highly dispersed silicon dioxide have attracted particular attention due to their pronounced protein-binding properties, ability to adsorb microbial cells and toxins, and potential antimicrobial and antidiarrheal effects. Clinical studies suggest that their inclusion in комплексive therapy of acute intestinal infections and functional gastrointestinal disorders, including pediatric practice, may contribute to faster symptom resolution and reduction of intoxication severity.
An important advantage of silicon dioxide–based enterosorbents is their favorable safety profile, as they are minimally absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and are excreted unchanged. Further research is warranted to clarify clinical indications, optimize dosing regimens, and evaluate long-term therapeutic outcomes in different patient populations.
The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
References
Aguilar F, Charrondiere UR. Dusemund B, Galtier P, Gilbert J, Gott DM et al. (2009). Calcium silicate and silicon dioxide/silicic acid gel added for nutritional purposes to food supplements. EFSA J. 1132: 1-24. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2009.1132
Akkina RC, Payala V, Maganti SS. (2022). Tools for Rapid Detection and Control of Foodborne Microbial Pathogens. In Foodborne Pathogens - Recent Advances in Control and Detection; IntechOpen: London, UK.
ALOthman ZA. (2012). A Review: Fundamental Aspects of Silicate Mesoporous Materials. Materials. 5(12): 2874-2902. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma5122874; PMCid:PMC5449058
Bacon RT, Sofos JN. (2003). Characteristics of Biological Hazards in Foods. In: Schmidt RH, Rodrick GE, editors. Food Safety Handbook. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.: 157-195. https://doi.org/10.1002/047172159X.ch10; PMid:12804941
Behrman RE, Kliegman RM, Jenson HB. (2004). Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. Philadelphia: Saunders: 2618.
Bhilegaonkar KN, Kolhe RP. (2023). Transfer of Viruses Implicated in Human Disease through Food. In Present Knowledge in Food Safety. Elsevier: Amsterdam, The Netherlands: 786-811. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-819470-6.00060-3
Bintsis T. (2017, Jun 29). Foodborne pathogens. AIMS Microbiol. 3(3): 529-563. https://doi.org/10.3934/microbiol.2017.3.529; PMid:31294175 PMCid:PMC6604998
CDC. (2012). What is a foodborne disease outbreak and why do they occur. URL: http://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/facts.html#whatisanoutbreak.
CDC. (2018). Burden of Foodborne Illness: Findings|Estimates of Foodborne Illness. URL: https://www.cdc.gov/foodborneburden/2011-foodborne-estimates.html (accessed on 10 April 2023).
CDC. (2023). List of Outbreaks. 2023. URL: https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/outbreaks/lists/outbreaks-list.html (accessed on 30 June 2023).
CDC. (2025). Food-safety. Food Poisoning Symptoms. URL: https://www.cdc.gov/food-safety/signs-symptoms/.
EFSA. (2023). Monitoring foodborne diseases. URL: https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/monitoring-foodborne-diseases (accessed on 30 June 2023).
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control). (2016). The European Union summary report on trends and sources of zoonoses, zoonotic agents and food-borne outbreaks in 2015. EFSA J. 14: 4634-4865. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2017.5077; PMid:32625371 PMCid:PMC7009962
Faour-Klingbeil D, C D Todd E. (2019, Dec 20). Prevention and Control of Foodborne Diseases in Middle-East North African Countries: Review of National Control Systems. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 17(1): 70. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17010070; PMid:31861843 PMCid:PMC6982137
Fatullayeva S, Tagiyev D, Zeynalov N. (2021). A review on enterosorbents and their application in clinical practice: Removal of toxic metals. Colloid and Interface Science Communications. 45: 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colcom.2021.100545
Gayathri M, Panjikkaran ST, Aneena ER, Suman KT, Lakshmy PS, Sharon CL. (2023). Foodborne Diseases - A Public Health Challenge. The Indian Journal of Nutrition and Dietetics. 60(3): 447-459. https://doi.org/10.21048/IJND.2023.60.3.29867
Greening GE, Cannon JL. (2016). Human and Animal Viruses in Food (Including Taxonomy of Enteric Viruses). In Viruses in Foods; Goyal, S.M., Cannon, J.L., Eds.; Springer International Publishing: Cham, Switzerland: 5-57. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30723-7_2; PMCid:PMC7122939
Hutt PB, Hutt PB. (1984). II A history of government regulation of adulteration and misbranding of food. Food Drug Cosm Law J. 39: 2-73.
Kim YJ, Park KH, Park DA, Park J, Bang BW, Lee SS et al. (2019, Jun). Guideline for the Antibiotic Use in Acute Gastroenteritis. Infect Chemother. 51(2): 217-243. https://doi.org/10.3947/ic.2019.51.2.217; PMid:31271003 PMCid:PMC6609748
Lifschitz C, Kozhevnikov O, Oesterling C, Anbar A, Walker S. (2023, Dec 18). Acute gastroenteritis-changes to the recommended original oral rehydrating salts: a review. Front Pediatr. 11: 1294490. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2023.1294490; PMid:38192370 PMCid:PMC10773804
Malyi VP, Asoian IM, Tkachuk YuV, Nartov PV, Maslova VS. (2019). Optimization of detoxification therapy in patients with gastro-intestinal infections. Clinical immunology. Aller-gology. Infectology. 5(118): 42-45. URL: https://kiai.com.ua/uploads/issues/2019/5(118)/kiai19_42-45_9b77012e-0ab992463a9e031078d601b5.pdf.
Mead PS, Slutsker L, Dietz V et al. (1999). Food-related illness and death in the United States. Emerg Infect Dis. 5: 607-625. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid0505.990502; PMid:10511517 PMCid:PMC2627714
Moi IM, Ibrahim Z, Abubakar BM, Katagum YM, Abdullahi A, Yiga GA et al. (2022). Properties of Foodborne Pathogens and Their Diseases. In Foodborne Pathogens; IntechOpen: London, UK.
Murray CJL, Vos T, Lozano R et al. (2012). Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for 291 diseases and injuries in 21 regions, 1990-2010: a systematic analysis for the global burden of disease study 2010. Lancet. 380: 2197-2223. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61689-4; PMid:23245608
Nyankovska ОS, Nyankovskyy SL, Pakulova-Trotska YuV. (2025). Enterosorbents in modern medicine: mechanisms of action, effectiveness and clinical application. Modern Pediatrics. Ukraine. 2(146): 69-77. https://doi.org/10.15574/SP.2025.2(146).6977
Olaimat AN, Taybeh AO, Al-Nabulsi A, Al-Holy M, Hatmal MM, Alzyoud J et al. (2024, Jan 28). Common and Potential Emerging Foodborne Viruses: A Comprehensive Review. Life (Basel). 14(2): 190. https://doi.org/10.3390/life14020190; PMid:38398699 PMCid:PMC10890126
Pentiuk OO, Pohorielyi VK, Chuiko NO. (2003). Likuvalni vlastyvosti enterosorbentu Syliksu - amorfnoho ultradyspersnoho kremnezemu. Medychna khimiia. 5(1): 95-99.
Richardson LC, Cole D, Hoekstra RM, Rajasingham A, Johnson SD, Bruce BB. (2021). Foods Implicated in U.S. Outbreaks Differ from the Types Most Commonly Consumed. J. Food Prot. 84: 869-875. https://doi.org/10.4315/JFP-20-293; PMid:33411923 PMCid:PMC8135230
Sanklecha M, Verma L, Pai U, Mishra S, Maqsood S, Birla A. (2022, Apr 29). Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG Evaluation in Acute Diarrhea (LEAD): An Observational Study. Cureus. 14(4): e24594. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.24594; PMid:35506120 PMCid:PMC9053112
Scallan E, Hoekstra RM, Angulo FJ, Tauxe RV, Widdowson M-A, Roy SL et al. (2011). Foodborne Illness Acquired in the United States - Major Pathogens. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 17: 7-15. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1701.P11101; PMid:21192848 PMCid:PMC3375761
Shadrin OH, Marushko RV, Marushko TL, Kovalchuk AA, Mostovenko RV. (2023). Malabsorption syndrome after gastroenteritis in children, optimization of therapy. Modern Pediatrics. Ukraine. 6(134): 37-43. https://doi.org/10.15574/SP.2023.134.37
Soares VM, dos Santos EAR, Tadielo LE, Cerqueira-Cézar CK, da Cruz Encide Sampaio AN et al. (2022). Detection of Adenovirus, Rotavirus, and Hepatitis E Virus in Meat Cuts Marketed in Uruguaiana, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil. One Health. 14: 100377. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.onehlt.2022.100377; PMid:35257024 PMCid:PMC8897626
Squellati R. (2018). Evidence-based practice in the treatment for antibiotic-associated diarrhea in the intensive care unit. Crit. Care Nurs. Clin. North Am. 30(1): 87-99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cnc.2017.10.008; PMid:29413218
Tieroshyn V, Moroz L, Prishliak O et al. (2020). Colloidal Silicon Dioxide in Tablet form (Carbowhite) Efficacy in Patients with Acute Diarrhea: Results of Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Multi-Center Study. Sci Rep. 10: 6344. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-62386-0; PMid:32286322 PMCid:PMC7156649
Upfold NS, Luke GA, Knox C. (2021). Occurrence of Human Enteric Viruses in Water Sources and Shellfish: A Focus on Africa. Food Envron. Virol. 13: 1-31. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12560-020-09456-8; PMid:33501612 PMCid:PMC7837882
Voronin EP, Chekman IS, Rudenko AV, Nosach LV, Osіnnya LM. (2017). Properties of nanoscale silica as medical sorbent. In-tegrative Anthropology. 1(29): 44-48.
Voronin EP, Nosach LV, Pakhlov EM, Gun'ko IS, Chekman VM, Rudenko AV et al. (2016). Creation of stable aqueous dispersions of nanosilica as an entero-sorbent. Poverkhnost. 8(23): 267-283. https://doi.org/10.15407/Surface.2016.08.267
Warmate D, Onarinde BA. (2023). Food safety incidents in the red meat industry: A review of foodborne disease outbreaks linked to the consumption of red meat and its products, 1991 to 2021. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 398: 110240. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2023.110240; PMid:37167789
WGO. (2012). Acute Diarrhea in Adults and Children: A Global Perspective. URL: https://www.worldgastroenterology.org/guidelines/acute-diarrhea/acute-diarrhea-english.
Younes M, Aggett P, Aguilar F et al. (2018). Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of silicon dioxide (E 551) as a food addi-tive. EFSA Journal. 16(1): e5088. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5088; PMid:32625658 PMCid:PMC7009582
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Modern pediatrics. Ukraine
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
The policy of the Journal “MODERN PEDIATRICS. UKRAINE” is compatible with the vast majority of funders' of open access and self-archiving policies. The journal provides immediate open access route being convinced that everyone – not only scientists - can benefit from research results, and publishes articles exclusively under open access distribution, with a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 international license (СС BY-NC).
Authors transfer the copyright to the Journal “MODERN PEDIATRICS. UKRAINE” when the manuscript is accepted for publication. Authors declare that this manuscript has not been published nor is under simultaneous consideration for publication elsewhere. After publication, the articles become freely available on-line to the public.
Readers have the right to use, distribute, and reproduce articles in any medium, provided the articles and the journal are properly cited.
The use of published materials for commercial purposes is strongly prohibited.
