Supporting baby’s digestive comfort

Delivering digestive comfort with GOS, hydrolysates and milk fat

• GOS, or galacto-oligosaccharides, are a complex mix of non-digestible carbohydrate structures, derived from the enzymatic conversion of milk-derived lactose. Studies using infant milk formula supplemented with 4 g/L of GOS show that it can improve stool consistency and transit time for increased digestive comfort in babies
  
  Sierra C, Bernal MJ, Blasco J, et al. 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. Published online 2015. doi:10.1007/s00394-014-0689-9
  Williams T, Choe Y, Price P, et al. Tolerance of formulas containing prebiotics in healthy, term infants. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. Published online 2014. doi:10.1097/MPG.0000000000000513
  
  
  
  . This is achieved through multiple postulated mechanisms of action, most of which involve the microbiota that live in the infant gut. GOS have been demonstrated to stimulate the growth of Bifidobacteria
  
  Ben, X.-M., Li, J., Feng, Z.-T., Shi, Z.-Y., Lu, Y.-D., Chen, R., & Zhou, X.-Y. (2008). Low level of galacto-oligosaccharide in infant formula stimulates growth of intestinal Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 14(42), 6564. https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.14.6564
  Fanaro, S., Marten, B., Bagna, R., Vigi, V., Fabris, C., Peña-Quintana, L., Argüelles, F., Scholz-Ahrens, K. E., Sawatzki, G., Zelenka, R., Schrezenmeir, J., de Vrese, M., & Bertino, E. (2009). Galacto-oligosaccharides are bifidogenic and safe at weaning: a double-blind randomized multicenter study. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 48(1), 82–88. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19172129
  
  
  
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• Hydrolysed proteins can help address protein digestion-related challenges in infants. This process, also known as proteolysis, is less efficient in the infant gastrointestinal tract
  
  Britton, J. R., & Koldovsky, O. (1989). Gastric luminal digestion of lactoferrin and transferrin by preterm infants. Early Human Development. https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-3782(89)90123-0
  
  
  
   compared to an adult’s due to a higher stomach pH and reduced expression levels of digestive enzymes. That makes the infant’s digestive system less capable of breaking down protein into smaller fragments. This is one of the factors potentially leading to symptoms of discomfort and cramps
  
  Jiang, H., Gallier, S., Feng, L., Han, J., & Liu, W. (2022). Development of the digestive system in early infancy and nutritional management of digestive problems in breastfed and formula-fed infants. In Food and Function. https://doi.org/10.1039/d1fo03223b.
  
  
  
  . Moderately pre-digested proteins, like partial hydrolysates, can ease the digestion process in infants. In an in vitro model for infant digestion, our mildly hydrolysed protein, Hyvital® Whey EtD, showed a higher degree of protein degradation compared to intact whey protein throughout the gastric and intestinal phases (data available on request). Easier digestion could potentially benefit infants that suffer from common gastrointestinal complaints.
• Milk fat is an important energy source for infants and the structure of fat molecules (triglycerides) plays a role during digestion and absorption of fatty acids
  
  Delplanque, B., Gibson, R., Koletzko, B., Lapillonne, A., & Strandvik, B. (2015). Lipid Quality in Infant Nutrition: Current Knowledge and Future Opportunities. In Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1097/MPG.0000000000000818
  
  
  
  . Important long-chain saturated fatty acids (LCSFAs) like palmitic acid are best absorbed when positioned in the sn-2 position of the glycerol backbone in triglycerides
  
  Innis, S. M. (2011). Dietary triacylglycerol structure and its role in infant nutrition. In Advances in Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.3945/an.111.000448
  
  
  
  . If positioned at sn-1 or sn-3, they are released as free fatty acids and can potentially form insoluble fatty acid soap complexes with minerals such as calcium
  
  Delplanque, B., Gibson, R., Koletzko, B., Lapillonne, A., & Strandvik, B. (2015). Lipid Quality in Infant Nutrition: Current Knowledge and Future Opportunities. In Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1097/MPG.0000000000000818
  
  
  
  . Besides the limited bioavailability of calcium and fatty acids
  
  López-López, A., Castellote-Bargalló, A. I., Campoy-Folgoso, C., Rivero-Urgel, M., Tormo-Carnicé, R., Infante-Pina, D., & López-Sabater, M. C. (2001). The influence of dietary palmitic acid triacylglyceride position on the fatty acid, calcium and magnesium contents of at term newborn faeces. Early Human Development. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-3782(01)00210-9
  
  
  
  , fatty acid soap complexes are associated with infant constipation and gut discomfort
  
  Quinlan, P. T., Lockton, S., Irwin, J., & Lucas, A. L. (1995). Literature Reviews: Pediatric Gastroenterology: The Relationship Between Stool Hardness and Stool Composition in Breast- and Formula-Fed Infants Quinlan PT, Lockton S, Irwin J, et al. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 1995;20:81-90. Clinical Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1177/000992289503400609
  
  
  
  . Specific fat sources such as natural bovine milk fat contain a higher level of sn-2 positioned LCSFAs in comparison to standard vegetable oil blends
  
  Quinlan, P. T., Lockton, S., Irwin, J., & Lucas, A. L. (1995). Literature Reviews: Pediatric Gastroenterology: The Relationship Between Stool Hardness and Stool Composition in Breast- and Formula-Fed Infants Quinlan PT, Lockton S, Irwin J, et al. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 1995;20:81-90. Clinical Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1177/000992289503400609
  
  
  
   . Infant milk formulas with a higher sn-2 palmitic acid content were shown to lead to lower fatty acid soap complexes in stool samples
  
  Nowacki, J., Lee, H. C., Lien, R., Cheng, S. W., Li, S. T., Yao, M., Northington, R., Jan, I., & Mutungi, G. (2014). Stool fatty acid soaps, stool consistency and gastrointestinal tolerance in term infants fed infant formulas containing high sn-2 palmitate with or without oligofructose: A double-blind, randomized clinical trial. Nutrition Journal, 13(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-13-105
  
  
  
  , suggesting enhanced digestive comfort.

What does healthy infant digestion mean to parents?

Exclusive research by FrieslandCampina and Innova Market Insights reveals just how important digestive comfort has become to mums and dads, who are doing their own research on infant milk formula ingredients.