Mini-me: Infant nutrition adopts trending adult themes from plant-based to immunity

01 Dec 2020 --- The infant nutrition market is reflecting trends trailblazed in the adult market including gut health, immunity, plant-based and organic. In light of these adoptions, experts from Lallemand Health Solutions, FrieslandCampina Ingredients (FCI), NZMP and Vaneeghen speak to NutritionInsight about the hottest themes in infant nutrition.

“Health trends observed in the global market generally tend to emerge in the early life nutrition segment as well, with most recent examples being immunity and gut health,” says Sophie Nicolas, marketing manager early life nutrition at FCI. 

Tom de Leeuw, technical manager of infant nutrition at Vaneeghen, agrees that broad trends such as plant-based are also manifesting in the infant nutrition segment to varying extents.

Earlier this year, Innova Market Insights revealed that baby snacks are leading the growth of other adult themes, such as free-from and superfood positionings. Within Lallemand Health Solutions’ facilities, the company is developing a host of probiotic offerings addressing everything from immunity to eczema. 

A growing gut feeling
Gut health has been a major topic on the global market for several years, and it is now starting to emerge within the early life nutrition market as well. 

“This emerging interest in gut health is redirecting the infant formula market with a steep increase in formulas featuring ‘gut health’ related claims and containing galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) and human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs),” says Nicolas.

Lallemand Health Solutions also sees a strong emphasis on gut health. “The microflora is a major player for the gut and immune development and will have a lifelong influence. New scientific evidence, based on two studies performed on healthy infants, shows how probiotics support babies during their first year of life,” details Morgane Maillard, marketing manager.

Gut health for immunity
Gut health also has a major impact on immunity, which is increasingly well understood. “It has been demonstrated that probiotic strains can address various issues of immune health for different target groups, including children,” continues Maillard.

She explains that the microflora is involved in the regulation of the Th1-Th2 balance and the modulation of cytokines production. In the same way as the immune system, the digestive microbiota evolves through life and its balance is impacted by stress factors.

In this space, Lallemand offers a host of probiotics, including Expert’biotic solutions specifically made to support gut health and natural defenses of children under three years old and beyond.

“By enhancing the natural gut microbiota, probiotics can help keep opportunistic microorganisms at bay through several actions, such as competitive exclusion. For example, Lactobacillus helveticus Rosell-52 binds to the attachment sites of E. coli on intestinal epithelial cells, avoiding opportunistic microorganisms’ installation and translocation,” details Maillard. 

Meanwhile, NZMP has seen an increasing interest in its probiotics strains in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. One particularly popular offering is SureStart BifidoB HN019, which is clinically shown to support the body’s  defense against the viral infections of colds and flu. 

“These days, customers are more aware of the sophisticated world of the microbiome and how it could help to boost immunity,” says Angela Rowan, NZMP’s development manager for infant nutrition marketing and business.

Immunity beyond infection
De Leeuw also observes that the COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced and emphasized immunity. 

It has highlighted the role of vitamins, minerals and especially oligosaccharides, a group of ingredients closely linked to immunity, he flags. 

“Keeping a strong maternal immune system during pregnancy and the first 1,000 days is highly recommended as this has a direct effect on the infants. Therefore more parents are taking supplementation to cover any gaps,” states De Leeuw.

While the adult category immunity tends to be associated with resistance to infections, but it goes beyond this aspect for infants. 

Nicolas of FCI sees a focus on the importance of early life immune development with infant-specific diet solutions containing HMOs, for example.Research from Innova Market Insights and FrieslandCampina has revealed that the majority of parents are concerned about their infant’s immunity.

Plant-based potential?
De Leeuw further explains that the broad trends that manifest in the infant nutrition segment are driven by scientific discoveries or clinical research.

“This is why we see less of the plant-based trend in infant nutrition in comparison with adult markets, where segments like plant-based milk or meat are growing up to 38 percent. In comparison, predicted growth for infant nutrition over the next five years is predicted to be 10 percent.”

However, he says there are forms of plant-based infant nutrition that are becoming more popular. “This is supported by upcoming ingredients like DHA from algae, thus switching the trend from a clinical need to a family choice.”

According to Innova Market Insights, there is 12 percent penetration for vegan claims in the baby snacks sector – which is generally aimed at older infants and toddlers. This is in comparison with 4 percent in infant nutrition as a whole.

Additionally, industry experts have previously flagged the growth of plant-based trends within infant formula. 

Other alternative milks – albeit animal-derived – are also seeing growth. Rowan of NZMP points to the rise of grass-fed, A2 protein, and goat and sheep-based formulas. 

“Parents purchase motivators vary from interest in where the formula comes from and its safety, to a drive to more natural propositions, and for health benefits that they don’t perceive they get from more traditional infant formula,” she explains. 

Naturality and organic demands rise
Another trend that is reaching the infant nutrition market is organic, which has seen remarkable growth, especially in China, according to Nicolas. 

“A recent global consumer study we conducted also showed that the organic perception goes beyond just the environmental aspect, as naturalness, quality and traceability figure among the top drivers from parents to buy an organic infant formula,” she explains. 

In this space, FrieslandCampina recently introduced an “ultra-premium” organic milk formula, dubbed Organic Friso Prestige Bio. Meanwhile, FCI launched an organic ingredient portfolio for early life nutrition application. This will be expanded in 2021 with the launch of Organic Demineralized whey 90.

Rowan of NZMP adds that many brands are promoting more “natural” concepts that are not specific to any particular category. “In the pediatric nutrition area, these include strong grass-fed and organic positioning.”

However, De Leeuw flags that the production and supply of organic forms of ingredients like GOS and FOS can limit the options. 

The conversation continues in part two of this Special Report, where the experts explore how personalization and regional considerations can help narrow the gap between infant formula and breast milk.

By Katherine Durrell