Infant Formula With Beta-Palmitate Benefits Intestinal Flora

HAIFA, IsraelInFat®, a high beta-palmitate ingredient that successfully mimics the fat composition and properties of human milk fat, provides beneficial effects for the health and well-being of formula-fed infants by significantly increasing Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria in the microbiota and shifting the flora composition to be more comparable to breast-fed infants, according to a new study published in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition.

InFat is marketed by Advanced Lipids, a joint venture of AAK and Enzymotec. The double-blind, randomized study conducted at the Neonatology departments of Bnai Zion Medical Center and Meir Medical Center in Israel investigated the effect of InFat on the intestinal flora of term infants. The clinical trial included 36 term infants, 14 breast-fed and 22 formula-fed who were randomly assigned to receive either formula with InFat (high beta-palmitate) or a control formula (standard vegetable oil mix) that did not contain any pre- or probiotics. Stool samples were collected at enrollment, and at six weeks postnatal for the quantification of different bacteria constituting the gut flora.

This trial indicates that InFat can significantly improve infant formula, making it closer to mothers milk in terms of infants' flora composition," said Yael Lifshitz, PhD, Director of R&D, Enzymotec Infant Nutrition.