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Comparative Study of Prebiotics for Infants Using a Fecal Culture System: Insights into Responders and Non-Responders

Shijir Xijier Mingat1, Tatsuya Ehara1, Hirohiko Nakamura1

  • 1Health Care & Nutritional Science Institute, R&D Division, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., 5-1-83, Higashihara, Zama 252-8583, Japan.

Nutrients
|October 16, 2024
PubMed

Insights

A combination of lactulose, raffinose, and galactooligosaccharides (GOS) effectively promotes infant-type human-residential bifidobacteria (HRB) growth in infant gut microbiota. This blend supports a healthy gut microbiome, similar to breastfed infants.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Nutritional Science
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Infant gut microbiota is crucial for health and dominated by bifidobacteria.
  • Current infant formulas may not fully support the development of a healthy infant gut microbiome.
  • Developing formulas that promote bifidobacteria is essential for infant health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify prebiotic oligosaccharides that promote the growth of all infant-type human-residential bifidobacteria (HRB).
  • To find a prebiotic combination that minimizes non-responders in infant fecal cultures.
  • To inform the development of infant formulas mimicking breastfed microbiota.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized an infant fecal culture system to test various prebiotic oligosaccharides and their combinations.
  • Assessed the growth-promoting effects of lactulose (LAC), raffinose (RAF), galactooligosaccharides (GOS), and fructooligosaccharides.
  • Cultured samples from seven infants (1.5-10.2 months) with individual or combined oligosaccharides.

Main Results:

  • No single oligosaccharide supported all infant-type HRB; GOS promoted most, excluding *Bifidobacterium longum* subsp. *longum*.
  • The combination of LAC/RAF/GOS demonstrated even and effective promotion of all tested infant-type HRB.
  • Acetate production was highest with GOS or LAC/RAF/GOS, indicating superior efficacy and fewer non-responders.

Conclusions:

  • The LAC/RAF/GOS combination is a promising strategy for promoting a bifidobacteria-rich infant gut microbiota.
  • This finding can guide the formulation of infant formulas to better support infant gut health.
  • Aligning formula-fed infant gut microbiota with that of breastfed infants is achievable with targeted prebiotic interventions.
Abstract

Keywords:
bifidobacteriahuman-residential bifidobacteriainfant formulanon-digestible oligosaccharidenon-responderprebiotics

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