30 INGREDIENTS Early-life gut health: Enabling a lifetime of opportunity Parents are discovering more about the numerous benefits of a healthy gut. How can formulators meet the demand for infant milk formula with proven gut health credentials? By Sophie Nicolas, marketing manager of Early Life Nutrition at FrieslandCampina Ingredients New and exclusive research by FrieslandCampina Ingredients has revealed a clear trend in parental priorities: interest in gut health is on the rise across the globe and is strongest in the <strong>Asia</strong> Pacific (APAC) regions. Globally, 55% of parents who purchase infant milk formula are concerned about their child’s gut health, rising even higher in parts of APAC, such as 65% of parents in Indonesia and 85% in China. Similarly, 60% of parents globally would be interested in purchasing a product claiming to support gut health, rising to 75% in China and 85% in Indonesia. 1 This aligns with growing consumer awareness around the topic of gut health as a whole. Today’s highly-informed parents look beyond the benefits traditionally associated with a healthy gut, such as digestive comfort. They are becoming more familiar with a much wider range of potential gut health benefits, along with the infant milk formula ingredients that have been connected with good gut health. THE MAGIC OF THE MICROBIOME Despite the terms ‘microbiome’ and ‘microbiota’ often being used interchangeably in discussions of gut health, there is an important distinction between them. The ‘human microbiome’ is an umbrella term for all the microorganisms and their activities in various parts of our bodies. ‘Microbiota’, on the other hand, refers to a collection of bacteria residing within a specific part of the body like the gut. We are now learning more than ever about how different members of the gut microbiota can influence our health over the course of a lifetime. Science continues to reveal new ways in which different members of the gut microbiota can influence human health and well-being from before birth. Meanwhile, consumers are FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA OCTOBER / NOVEMBER <strong>2021</strong>
INGREDIENTS 31 increasingly exploring the already strong body of evidence demonstrating that the composition and activity of the gut microbiota can be changed and influenced by a variety of factors, including food. Indeed, feeding has one of the biggest roles to play 2 , and breastfed babies typically have a gut microbiota composition that is dominated by bifidobacteria, which has been shown to have widespread beneficial effects for infant development. 3 GROWING UP WITH GOOD GUT HEALTH Encouraging beneficial bacteria to colonise an infant’s gut comes down to shaping an environment where they can thrive. It has been shown that microbiota composition establishes a foundation for both early life and future health in four key areas. 4,-7 MEET THE OLIGOSACCHARIDES After lactose and fat, human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are the third largest component of human milk solids. 8 These are non-digestible carbohydrates that help provide the optimum conditions for beneficial bacteria to thrive. 9 So far, over 200 different HMOs have been identified at various concentrations and combinations in breast milk 10 , such as 2’-FL, 3’-FL and LNT. Each of these is expected to have its potential benefits for infant gut health. The 2’-FL is the most abundant HMO found at concentrations of 2-4g/litre. 11-13 However, 2’-FL and LNT have both been shown to selectively encourage the growth of various beneficial species and sub-species of bifidobacteria. 14-16 Studies have further indicated that nourishing infants with infant milk formula supplemented with 2’-FL could reduce the risk of childhood diarrhoea 17-19 and respiratory tract infections. 20-21 Meanwhile, the 3’-SL has been positively associated with neurodevelopmental factors during infancy, including language development. 22 Oligosaccharide structures are also found in cow’s milk, and GOS, or galactooligosaccharides, are a complex mix of over 100 oligosaccharide structures that are derived from the lactose in cow’s milk. 23 GOS consist of the building blocks glucose and galactose, which are also the building blocks of HMOs. A large body of scientific evidence supports the influence of GOS on the composition of infant gut microbiota when added to infant milk formula. Studies showed that when breastfeeding is not an option, infant milk formula containing 4g/litre of GOS can improve bowel function, stool consistency and transit time for increased digestive comfort in babies 24 , while enhancing the absorption of key minerals such as iron and calcium 25-26 , which are important for normal infant growth and development. Also, by serving as a substrate, GOS modulates the gut microbiota, giving bifidobacteria a competitive advantage for growth in the gut and supporting the body’s natural defences. 27-28 For manufacturers, it is clear to see that infant milk formula ingredients based on oligosaccharide structures offer an exciting opportunity to address the growing priorities of parents around the globe. In APAC, taking care of gut health is already a must, and as the trend spreads globally, brands should be able to demonstrate the proven benefits of their offering if they wish to put parents’ minds at ease and take leadership role in the gut health space. CREATING A LIFETIME OF OPPORTUNITY FrieslandCampina Ingredients believes in enhancing the composition of infant milk formula with a wide range of oligosaccharide structures at relevant concentrations. It seems logical to consider that combining GOS with HMOs like 2’-FL can result in complementary health benefits that impact multiple areas of infant health. In bringing these benefits together, brand owners and manufacturers can deliver the complete, science-backed solutions for infant health that today’s parents desire and can help to give their formulafed infants the best start in life. FBA REFERENCES 1 Innova Market Insights. FrieslandCampina Ingredients Early Life Nutrition consumer insight survey (2020). 2 Scholtens, P. A. M. J., Oozeer, R., Martin, R. & Amor, K. The Early Settlers: Intestinal Microbiology in Early Life. Annu Rev <strong>Food</strong> Sci Technol 3, 425–447 (2012). 3 Stark, P. L. & Lee, A. The microbial ecology of the large bowel of breast-fed and formula-fed infants during the first year of life. J Med Microbiol 15, 189–203 (1982). 4 Cummings, J. H., Macfarlane, G. T. & Englyst, H. N. Prebiotic digestion and fermentation. Am J Clin Nutr 73, 415–420 (2001). 5 Arrieta, M.C., Stiemsma, L.T., Amenyogbe, N. & Brown, E.M. The intestinal microbiome in early life: health and disease. Front Immuno 5;5:427 (2014). 6 Skrypnik, K. & Suliburska, J. Association between the gut microbiota and mineral metabolism. J Sci <strong>Food</strong> Agric 98, 2449–2460 (2018). 7 Carlson, A. L., Xia, K., Azcarate-Peril, M.A. & Goldman, B.D. Infant Gut Microbiome Associated with Cognitive Development. Biol Psychiatry 83, 148–159 (2019). 8 Jensen, R.G. Handbook of milk composition. 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J Agric <strong>Food</strong> Chem 68, 7800–7808 (2020). 24 Sierra, C., Bernal, M. J., Blasco, J. & Martinez, R. Prebiotic effect during the first year of life in healthy infants fed formula containing GOS as the only prebiotic: a multicentre, randomised, double-blind and placebo-controlled trial. Eur. J. Nutr. 54 89–99 (2014). 25 Whisner, C. M., Martin, B. R., Schoterman, M. H. C. & Nakatsu, C. H. Galactooligosaccharides increase calcium absorption and gut bifidobacteria in young girls: a double-blind cross-over trial. Br. J. Nutr. 110 1292–303 (2013). 26 Paganini, D., Uyoga, M. A., Cercamondi, C. I. & Moretti, D. Consumption of galactooligosaccharides increases iron absorption from a micronutrient powder containing ferrous fumarate and sodium iron EDTA: a stable isotope study in Kenyan infants. 27 Arslanoglu, S., Moro, G. E. & Boehm, G. Early supplementation of prebiotic oligosaccharides protects formula-fed infants against infections during the first 6 months of life. J. Nutr. 137, 2420–4 (2007). 28 Arslanoglu, S. et al. Early dietary intervention with a mixture of prebiotic oligosaccharides reduces the incidence of allergic manifestations and infections during the first two years of life. J. Nutr. 138, 1091–1095 (2008). FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA OCTOBER / NOVEMBER <strong>2021</strong>
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