Nestlé Spain creates new formula with glycans found in human milk

From: FoodBev

After a decade of research, Nestlé Spain has unveiled a new infant formula that reproduces two human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) found in breast milk.

Spain is now the first country to launch the product: two months ago it was distributed to hospitals and now it can be acquired in pharmacies.

HMOs are the third most abundant solid component of breast milk, after fat and lactose. They play a key role in the healthy development of babies, preventing infections and promoting the growth of healthy bacteria.

Nestlé claims to be the first company to replicate and produce two HMO molecules for an infant formula. The ingredients have been approved by both the European Food Safety Authority and the US Food and Drug Administration.

Global medical director of Nestlé Nutrition José M Saavedra said: “This is a significant breakthrough in infant feeding, because up until now HMOs were only found naturally in breast milk.

“Now, as a result of almost a decade of extensive research, Nestlé has been able to replicate these constituents which are identical to those found in breast milk.”

Nestlé’s research has not only found that the formula with these HMOs assure adequate growth, but they also help the composition of newborns’ gut flora to be similar to babies who are breastfed.

The study also found that babies fed the new formula showed a reduction in the number of potentially pathogenic bacteria.

Marisa Vidal, medical director of infant nutrition for Nestlé Spain, said: “This scientific breakthrough offers important benefits in the field of infant nutrition. Without doubt, it is a great step forward in fulfilling our ambition to improve quality of life and contribute to a healthier future.”

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€2.2m investment in infant formula plant

Néstle Spain has also announced investment of €2.24 million in its manufacturing facility in Sevares, in the north of the country.

The site, which is used to produce infant formula, will benefit from the renovation of an existing production line and modernisation across the rest of the factory. It brings the total amount invested in the plant since 2012 to more than €12.5 million, with the work set to take place during the remainder of the year.

The plant manufactures more than 55,000 tonnes of liquid milk and baby jars every year, with much of it destined for export markets like China, where consumer confidence in domestically produced infant formula milk has never fully recovered from the melamine crisis nearly ten years ago.

The Sevares plant is the largest producer of infant milk in the Nestlé system, accounting for more than 60% of the company’s global production.

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