Beneo Synergy1 Trial for Immune Development

TIENEN, BelgiumA long-term study investigating the effects of prebiotic infant formulas supplemented with inulin and oligofructose from chicory roots (BeneoSynergy1, ORAFTI Active Food Ingredients) on the development of the neonatal immune system and the incidence of allergy in infants was launched recently. The new study will investigate the effect of the prebiotic BeneoSynergy1 in infants with a family history of atopic disease. From birth and throughout the first year of life, high-risk infants included in the study will receive infant formula that is either supplemented with BeneoSynergy1 (0.8 g/100 ml) or without any supplementation (control group). These infants will also be followed during their second year and the overall health and well-being of the infants will be assessed and the composition of their intestinal microbial flora compared. A battery of immunological markers from different body samples (urine, blood and feces) will be measured at given time points throughout the study. Clinical outcomes of allergy will be carefully monitored throughout the study and in further follow-up. Thus the study will provide new data on the immuno-modulating effects of BeneoSynergy1 and its potential for reducing the risk for allergy during infancy. The study is part of the EARNEST project (EARly Nutrition programming-long term follow up of Efficacy and Safety Trials)an EU-funded initiative aiming to assess the importance of early nutrition on the modulation of adult disease risk Douwina Bosscher, nutrition research manager, ORAFTI stated: It is hoped that the conclusion of the study in 2010 will enable a better understanding of the extent to which nutritional influences in early life can affect a persons development, metabolism and health in adulthood.