Nestlé spearheads “breakthrough discovery” in infant gut microbiome for next-gen nutrition

11 Nov 2022 --- Nestlé scientists have discovered a new gut bacteria prevalent during the transition from infancy to early childhood. The discovery is said to enable the identification of next-generation nutritional solutions and probiotics to support children’s growth and development. 

The study – published in the scientific journal Cell – contributes to the understanding of the infant gut microbiome and how it evolves during child development. Nestlé worked in partnership with researchers from the Broad Institute in the US, the University of Bologna in Italy and the icddr,b in Bangladesh.

The study followed 267 infants in Bangladesh from birth up to two years of age. Most of the mothers chose to exclusively breastfeed their infants for the first six months of their lives and then introduce solid foods in combination with breastmilk during the so-called weaning period. The weaning period is a uniquely important period of immune development as it represents the first exposure of the immune system to many new environmental signals from food and bacteria.

The scientists discovered novel strains of Bifidobacterium longum (B. longum), a bacterium typically found in a healthy gut. The novel strains were most prominent as children’s diets diversified, most likely because of their unique ability to utilize both key components of human milk and fibers from solid food.

New strains, ongoing research
The new strains are distinct from other beneficial B. longum, including B. longum infantis, which is predominant during early infancy and exclusive breastfeeding. The scientists indicate that they may constitute a novel subspecies, and further research is ongoing.

The application of cutting-edge analytical methods provided critical insights into the metabolic activity of the novel B. longum, indicating an important role in overall gut ecology and metabolism.The discovery could open the doors for advanced infant gut health solutions.

“This discovery opens new possibilities for developing the next-generation of nutritional solutions that can help to maintain or restore a diverse and fully functional gut microbiome in infants,” says Isabelle Bureau-Franz, head of Nestlé Research.

“This can be obtained either through boosting beneficial gut microbes by feeding them with optimal nutrients or by supplementing with probiotics. This is especially important for the weaning phase, as no specific solutions exist, and this is a key period for shaping the gut ecosystem and immune health, with potential long-term impact.”

Inside infant nutrition
This year, the US experienced a severe shortage of infant formula due to global supply chain pressures, import restrictions and market concentration. Moreover, the supply was hit by large-scale product recalls after two babies allegedly died after consuming Abbott infant formula.US regulators are working to alleviate the market concertation partly responsible for infant nutrition shortages this year.

In September, the US Food and Drug Administration released an internal report on its actions to address the nationwide infant formula shortage. Presenting interviews with 60 FDA employees, the report concluded that the agency’s operating system needs improvement in several areas and increased authority.

Nestlé recently sold its gateway infant formula plant in Wisconsin, US, and the US and Canadian rights to its Good Start infant formula brand to Perrigo, as regulators work to address the infant nutrition market monopoly.

Meanwhile, the Swiss multinational F&B conglomerate also unveiled scientific findings for infant formula ingredients, stressing that breastmilk is the ideal nutrition for babies in support of the World Health Organization’s recommendations to exclusively breastfeed for the first six months of life. Nestlé also underscored the importance of alternatives for infants unable to breastfeed.

Diving into infant nutrition, NutritionInsight spoke with Eurosérum, Vaneeghen, Kerry, FrieslandCampina and Symrise about the latest market trends, ingredient developments and how the sector has been affected by challenges caused by macroeconomic events.

By Joshua Poole