DSM expands infant nutrition offerings with new DHA and ARA powders

28 Apr 2020 --- Royal DSM has unveiled its latest microbial powders for infant nutrition. The DHASCO-B and ARASCO powders contain a minimum of 110 mg DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) or ARA (arachidonic acid) respectively, and are sustainably produced with vegetarian DHA omega 3 and ARA omega 6 oils. They are marketed as safe, natural and supporting optimal developmental outcomes in young children. The launch comes as early-stage infant nutrition is firmly focused on the developmental needs of babies.

“Research suggests that the intake of both DHA and ARA during infancy has positive effects on brain growth, cognitive and visual development, as well as immune function. Parents, including those who cannot, or choose not to breastfeed, should have access to safe and reliable infant nutrition products that contain these critical nutrients,” says Ethan Leonard, Vice President Specialty Early Life Nutrition at DSM Nutritional Products.

“We carefully formulated DHASCO-B and ARASCO powders to ensure compliance with evolving regulations worldwide and support manufacturers in creating high-quality infant formula products with DHA and ARA that help them to shape healthy futures for children everywhere,” he notes.

The newly launched powders boast a clean label, are naturally free from contaminants, do not contain engineered nanomaterials and are made with non-GMO ingredients. These powders are designed for easy addition to dry-blending manufacturing processes and support production of products with a longer shelf life and greater stability. 

Human breast milk is often used as a reference for the formulation of substitutes, which are designed to mimic its composition and functionality as closely as possible.Science supporting the combination of DHA and ARA in infant nutrition
DHA and ARA are long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) that play a crucial role in infant health and development. Breast milk is the gold standard for infant nutrition and naturally contains both DHA and ARA, typically with ARA levels higher than those of DHA. 

Human breast milk is often used as a reference for the formulation of substitutes, which are designed to mimic its composition and functionality as closely as possible. As such, the infant nutrition sector has invested significantly in upscaling the synthetic production of breast milk replacements.

Recent publications by infant nutrition experts have recommended the addition of DHA and ARA to infant and follow-on formula during the first year of life – a critical window of development. DHA supports brain and cognitive development, mental adaptability and problem solving, and information processing, while ARA may play a role in supporting the development of a healthy immune system, bone formation, blood flow and blood vessel function.

In other infant nutrition developments, DSM has completed the safety assessment of 3-Fucolsyllactose (3-FL) human milk oligosaccharide (HMO), which brings the company a step closer to the launch of CARE4U 3-FL. The study supports prior research indicating that commercially produced HMOs can mimic some of the health-promoting effects of the HMOs present in human milk. 

By Benjamin Ferrer, with additional reporting from Katherine Durrell