Technologies driving innovations for safer and digestible infant nutrition
From precision powder formulation to expanded lactoferrin production and encapsulation breakthroughs, leading nutrition companies are harnessing technology to create safer, more digestible, and nutrient-rich infant products that support healthy development.
Nutrition Insight continues its discussion on infant nutrition innovations with dsm-firmenich, FrieslandCampina Ingredients, Valio, AB-Biotics, and Gnosis by Lesaffre.
We previously discussed new vitamin A formulations and carbon-neutral farming practices, as the industry is prioritizing transparency, clean labels, and eco-conscious solutions to satisfy parents and regulators.
Powder technology
Julia Duchastel, the Early Life Nutrition segment lead for North America, says dsm-firmenich “combines advanced ingredients, delivery systems, and formulation expertise to enhance the nutritional quality and digestibility of infant nutrition products.”
“Precision formulation through our Advanced Powder Technology platform ensures exact micro-dosing and uniform distribution of ingredients while preserving their stability and efficacy throughout shelf life. These processing methods optimize functionality and sensory properties, resulting in products that maintain their nutritional integrity while meeting strict quality standards.”
She goes on to say that while joint research with top universities broadens the company’s knowledge of infant digestive development and nutrient utilization, ongoing research into the composition of breast milk continues to impact ingredient development.
Encapsulating oils in a powder matrix extends their shelf life, provides sensory benefits and preserves their nutritional qualities.“This scientific foundation, combined with comprehensive quality control systems, ensures consistent nutrient delivery, proven efficacy, and verified product safety. Through this integrated approach, dsm-firmenich helps partners create infant nutrition products that support healthy development while being gentle on developing digestive systems,” says Duchastel.
Expanding lactoferrin production
FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ technology is essential to providing the correct nutrients in the ideal composition in its ingredient offerings, with optimized bioavailability and digestibility to support infant growth and development, according to Jouke Veldman, global marketing director of Early Life Nutrition.
“For example, as demand for high-quality functional ingredients like lactoferrin soars, we have invested in technology to help us meet this growing global need. Just last year, we expanded our lactoferrin production facility in the Netherlands from a total capacity of 20 to 80 metric tons per year.”
“As part of this new facility, we leverage cutting-edge technology for absorption and elution, filtration, and spray drying,” Veldman adds. “The new facility uses a mild heat-treating process designed by our R&D experts to enable the careful extraction processes to turn milk into high-quality functional lactoferrin. The result is a 95% pure product in a powder form that’s highly homogenous and easy to formulate into infant milk formula.”
He says that the company has also harnessed encapsulation technology to enhance the sensory properties, ease of formulation, and nutritional profiles of its docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), arachidonic acid (ARA), and nutritional oil powders portfolio.
“This includes new lactose-based encapsulated products and alternative long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids sourced from algae and fungi, alongside our existing portfolio of Vana-Sana omega-3 DHA and omega-6 ARA ingredients,” says Veldman.
“Encapsulating these oils in a powder matrix extends their shelf life and makes them easier to formulate with, as well as providing sensory benefits and preserving their nutritional qualities.”
Simulating infant digestion
Before conducting additional clinical testing, AB-Biotics performs in vitro and in vivo studies using technology that mimics the conditions of the infant’s stomach and intestines.
Protein hydrolysates, sn-2 position of palmitic acid, and the lipids in the MFGM, have been gaining more attention.Its co-founder, Miquel Bonachera, comments: “Technology is a great asset to the nutrition space, helping to enhance precision, consistency, and quality, as well as speed to market. Advances in food technology, in particular, are valuable to the infant nutrition market, allowing the industry to develop nutritional products and formulations that contain ingredients found in human milk.”
“These developments make nutritional solutions for infants both more natural and more consistent, adapting to feeding needs from breast to formula fed.”
Demand for lactose-free
Sari Vahla, head of Sales for Customized Nutrition at Valio, discusses growing technologies to meet the lactose-free consumer demand.
“We have recognized that ingredients that boost absorption of nutrients, such as protein hydrolysates, sn-2 position of palmitic acid, and the lipids in the milk fat globule membrane (MFGM), have been gaining more attention.”
“Also, demand for lactose-free infant nutrition solutions is growing for multiple reasons. Lactose-free solutions create a benefit bundle for digestive comfort together with biotics and lipids, and consumers have a rising interest in free-from products, which together positively shape the evolving category,” Vahla adds.
Valio addresses consumer demand with its sensory research group, three technology research groups, and nutrition research.
Technological advances
Gnosis by Lesaffre engineered Quatrefolic 5-MTHF to be structurally similar to the reduced and active forms of folic acid, according to Silvia Pisoni, global market manager. “It represents the fourth-generation folate compared to the 5-methyltetrahydrofolate calcium salt, guaranteeing improved bioavailability.”
“Consumers request new, innovative formulations, such as liquid, oral, and soft gel products. Quatrefolic Fine Powder could be used in all formulations where the active ingredient must be dissolved or emulsified in a matrix. Its smaller particle size allows for a faster time of dissolution and makes it easy to use in this kind of preparation.”
She says Quatrefolic Fine Powder is a response to customer expectations and is suitable and stable in lipophilic matrices without sedimentation.
