Prebiotics added to infant formula reduce infections

The prebiotics, galacto and fructo- oligosaccharides (GOS/FOS), added to infant formula have been shown to reduce intestinal infections such as diarrhoea and possibly respiratory infections during an infants first year (1).  Prebiotics are non digestible food ingredients which reach the large bowel and promote the growth of 'good' bacteria. They are added to infant formula to replicate a bacterial profile in the gut similar to that of the breast fed baby.

The prospective, randomized, placebo controlled trial was carried out in Italy to test whether prebiotics could reduce the incidence of intestinal and respiratory infections in infants. Three hundred and forty two healthy infants aged between 15-120 days were randomly assigned to two groups - one fed a standard infant formula and the other, an infant formula with prebiotics GOS/FOS in the ratio 9:1. Both formulas were the same except for the addition of prebiotics. The infants were fed the formulas for 12 months.

Both formulas were well tolerated with the prebiotic formula producing softer stools. Infants fed the prebiotic formula compared to the standard formula had:- significantly fewer episodes of diarrhoea/child over the 12 months; less children with at least one episode of acute diarrhoea (10.4% vs 23.8%); overall  fewer episodes of upper respiratory tract infections( URTI); less children with more than 3 episodes of  recurrent URTI (28% vs 44%) and less children needing 2 or more courses of antibiotics (40% vs 66%). Infants grew well on both formulas but those on the prebiotic formula had  greater increases in length and weight  at 3and 6 months, with the increased length persisting at the end of the study.

This study shows the addition of prebiotics to infant formula confers important clinical health benefits to the formula fed infant. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) now permits the voluntary addition of prebiotics to infant formula (2).

References:

1.Bruzzese E, Volpicelli M, Squeglia V et al. A formula containing galacto- and  fructo-oligosaccharides prevents intestinal and extra- intestinal infections: an observational study. Clinical Nutrition 2009 - article in press; online doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2009.01.008

2.FSANZ. Standard 2.9.1 Infant Formula Products, Clause 9A. Food Standards Code www.foodstandards.gov.au