Probiotics and Prebiotics in Infant Formulae

Abstract

Human breast milk provides all necessary nutrients for the development of term infants. In addition to its universally recognized nutrients, human breast milk contains a number of non-nutritive components that play a potential role in supporting infant growth. Human breast milk also contains bioactive compounds exerting a wide range of beneficial effects, such as promoting immune system maturation and exerting protection against infections. Supplementation of infant formulae with oligosaccharides and bacteria with proven beneficial health effects seems to be well-founded. The purpose of supplementation is to mimic the functional effects of oligosaccharides and bacteria found in human breast milk. Oligosaccharides with prebiotic functions and bacteria strains with probiotic functions have recently been added to infant formulae in the European Union and other countries. However, a systematic review conducted by the Committee on Nutrition of the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition revealed that there is no conclusive evidence supporting the routine use of probiotic-and/or prebiotic-fortified infant formulae. The aim of this review is to analyze the scientific basis for supplementation of infant formula with these compounds.

Priming for Life: Early Life Nutrition and the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis

“…In order to maximize the advantages of prebiotics, combined prebiotic mixtures with different genera of bacteria (largely Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus strains), have been developed in order to create infant formula as close as possible to human milk [ 186 , 249 ]. Even though supplementation of infant formula with prebiotics is becoming more and more common, there are difficulties in mimicking the structural and physiological complexity of HMOs [ 186 ].…”

“…Supplementation of infant formula with synbiotics (prebiotic and probiotics) is an intricate process which has difficulty in mirroring the unique combination and complexity of ingredients present in breast milk [ 244 , 249 ]. The prevailing ideology of synbiotics supplementation is that prebiotics can be specifically tailored for the probiotics within the same mixture, therefore the synergistic effect of the two would possibly exert health benefits that are similar to the ones of breast milk microbiota and HMOs in breast milk [ 244 ].…”

A review on the immunomodulatory properties of functional nutraceuticals as dietary interventions for children to combat COVID-19 related infections

“…Binding of the probiotic’s strains present in the infant foods strengthens the intestinal barrier function due to higher epithelial adhesion and better systemic immunostimulation. Probiotic strains such as Lactobacillus fermentum , Saccharomyces boulardii and Lactobacillus rhamnosus in infant foods are very well tolerated (Maldonado 2019 ). New born with less birth weight showed progressive adaptation in gut stability when supplemented with Bifidobacterium lactis (Chi et al 2019 ).…”

Novel Dietary Approach with Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Synbiotics to Mitigate Antimicrobial Resistance and Subsequent Out Marketplace of Antimicrobial Agents: A Review

“…substances (H2O2, bacteriocins, organic acids, and antioxidants) with inhibitory and antagonistic potential against the vast majority of pathogenic microbes. [15][16][17][18][19][20] Substances like benzoic acid, formic acid, lactic acid, phenylacetic acid, acetic acid, carbon dioxide, hydrogen peroxide, acetoin, short-chain fatty acids, diacetyl, acetaldehyde, and bacteriocin substances of enterocin, enterolysin, lacticin plantaricin, nisin pisciolin, lactocin, reuterin, and pediocin are among the commonest chemical substance with the antimicrobial property.…”