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Chemistry of Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are an essential part of the diet in humans and animals. Grains, fruits, and vegetables are natural sources of carbohydrates that provide energy to the body, particularly through glucose, a simple sugar that is a component of starch and an ingredient in many staple foods. The stoichiometric formula (CH2O)n, where n is the number of carbons in the molecule represents carbohydrates. In other words, the ratio of carbon to hydrogen to oxygen is 1:2:1 in carbohydrate molecules. This...
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Analysis of Fucosylated Human Milk Trisaccharides in Biotechnological Context Using Genetically Encoded Biosensors
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Oligosaccharides in infant formula.

Y Vandenplas1

  • 1Academic Children's Hospital, Free University of Brussels, Laarbeeklaan 101, Belgium. yvan.vandenplas@az.vub.ac.be

The British Journal of Nutrition
|June 29, 2002
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Adding specific oligosaccharides to cow's milk infant formula enriches gut bacteria, mimicking breast milk's benefits. This brings formula closer to the gold standard for infant nutrition.

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Area of Science:

  • Nutritional Science
  • Microbiology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Breast milk is the optimal infant nutrition, establishing a beneficial gut microbiota rich in bifidobacteria and lactobacilli.
  • Cow's milk-based infant formula lacks the oligosaccharides present in human milk, leading to differences in infant gut flora composition.
  • Oligosaccharides are crucial for promoting the growth of beneficial gut bacteria in infants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of adding specific oligosaccharides to cow's milk-based infant formula.
  • To determine if oligosaccharide supplementation can promote a gut microbiota profile similar to that of breast-fed infants.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of gastro-intestinal flora differences between breast-fed and formula-fed infants.
  • Review of studies on the effects of galacto-oligosaccharides and inulin supplementation in infant formula.
  • Assessment of the bifidogenic effect and stimulation of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli growth.

Main Results:

  • Cow's milk-based formula results in a less diverse gut flora compared to breast milk, with fewer bifidobacteria and lactobacilli.
  • The addition of galacto-oligosaccharides and inulin to infant formula demonstrated a significant bifidogenic effect.
  • Supplemented formula stimulated the growth of beneficial bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in the infant gut.

Conclusions:

  • Supplementing cow's milk-based infant formula with specific oligosaccharides partially mimics the beneficial effects of human milk on gut microbiota.
  • Oligosaccharide addition brings infant formula closer to the gold standard of breast milk for infant gut health.
  • Continued promotion of prolonged breastfeeding remains essential for optimal infant development.