Tackling rising allergy rates: Danone’s €240 million specialized infant formula facility opens in the Netherlands

26 Mar 2019 --- Danone has opened its new €240 million (US$271 million) Nutricia Cuijk production facility in the Netherlands. The plant will produce highly-specialized infant formula for health conditions such as allergies or digestive issues. It will manufacture infant formulas for vulnerable babies, particularly in relation to cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA). However, other health needs addressed by the specialized formulas could also include constipation and colic problems, a company spokesperson tells NutritionInsight.

Built in collaboration with resource management company Veolia, the sustainable, zero-waste facility is powered with 100 percent renewable electricity. This is one of Danone’s largest European investments in the last decade and the products created will be exported to more than 90 countries, notes the French multinational.

The new plant hopes to support the expansion of Danone’s range of specialized infant formula products specially tailored for babies with specific health needs, such as CMPA. The global prevalence of allergies is steadily rising, and approximately 2-5 percent of infants develop CMPA within the first year of life. How nutrition is delivered in early life can have a significant impact on overall immune health, allergy development and CMPA management, notes Danone. 

While most infants with CMPA outgrow the condition by the time they are of a school age, an increasing number of children have persistent symptoms or develop other allergic conditions over time. This susceptibility to subsequent conditions is commonly referred to as the “allergic march.” This process was also highlighted in a study published in October 2018 which underscored that children with known allergies should be screened for an emerging, chronic food allergy called eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), a potential later component of the “allergic march.”

The facility is also differentiated through its high-tech sustainable design. Veolia supported Danone with the design and construction of the plant, leveraging the latest technological innovations. The company’s operational expertise is to achieve the best possible environmental footprint for the site. 

Specialized infant formula
The infant formula market has seen an increase in products with a comfort communication within a digestive or gut health positioning, with Innova Market Insights data showing a CAGR of nearly 12 percent from 2012 to 2017.

A canning line at the facility. Credit: Danone.Digestive problems are prominent in the infant space, especially as formulas contain significantly more protein than human milk. Since protein can be hard to digest, formulas can lead to gastrointestinal discomfort issues in infants, such as colic and constipation, resulting in excessive crying, the company describes. Other problems include regurgitation and stool issues. However, by altering the amount and types of proteins in formula, it may be possible to reduce these problems.

Along these lines, the plant employs a specific manufacturing process called hydrolyzation to produce foods fit for special medical purposes such as CMPA or colic issues. In this process, cow’s milk proteins are broken down – or “snipped” – into smaller protein fragments. As a result, the immune system of a baby with CMPA is less likely to trigger an allergic reaction.

Cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA) is one of the most common childhood allergies. Because of difficulties with classification and diagnosis, exacerbated by the varying clinical presentations and non-specific symptoms associated with CMPA, it is difficult to assess prevalence accurately. However, it is estimated that the issue affects up to five percent of infants.

When an infant has CMPA, the immune system overreacts to one or more of the proteins contained in cow’s milk. The infant’s immune system recognizes these proteins as harmful and, to protect itself, releases substances including histamines, which cause allergic symptoms.

Symptoms of CMPA tend to develop in the first few months of life. It can cause a wide range of respiratory, dermatological and gastrointestinal symptoms – such as worsening eczema, colicky pain, reflux, diarrhea or constipation. Severe systemic reactions can also cause anaphylaxis – a severe and life-threatening reaction.

Once at full capacity, Nutricia Cuijk will produce more than 600 different products – including Nutricia’s cow’s milk protein allergy management Pepti and ProSyneo range of products.

This platform is becoming increasingly important in the ingredients sector too. Earlier this year, Arla Foods Ingredients launched an “optimized comfort,” whey-protein based concept for infant formula. The concept contains a blend of alpha-lactalbumin and whey protein hydrolysates which aims to reduce gastrointestinal discomfort problems in infants. 

By Laxmi Haigh