Webinar preview: Lallemand & dsm-firmenich to unlock infant microbiome research

Recent studies highlight a concerning rise in infant gut imbalance, marked by reduced microbial diversity, especially of beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacterium infantis, and increased gut inflammation.

With infant gut health moving into the nutrition spotlight, Lallemand Health Solutions and dsm-firmenich say much remains to be discovered. 

The joint webinar is entitled “Pioneering Partnership: How dsm-firmenich & Lallemand unlock infant microbiome via synbiotics.” Company experts will share the latest research on infant gut health, exploring dysbiosis in early life and the potential of targeted nutritional strategies to support a balanced microbiota. 

Ahead of the webinar, Nutrition Insight speaks with Valentine Barassé, product manager of Lallemand Health Solutions’ early-life probiotic portfolio and Renaud Mestdagh, senior scientist and innovation manager for early life nutrition at dsm-firmenich.

Why are certain bifidobacterial strains like B. infantis missing in some infants? 

Barassé: Several recent studies show that Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis (B. infantis) is increasingly rare — even in breastfed infants — partly due to industrialization, antibiotic use, and lifestyle changes. This loss correlates with higher Gross Domestic Product and may be involved in immune and metabolic programming disruption.

How can early-life probiotics help restore microbial balance, and what makes your strains in your partnership with dsm-firmenich unique?

Barassé: Probiotics are known to contribute to microbial balance by supporting digestion, intestinal and immune development, and general intestinal comfort. More importantly, in early life nutrition, they can help build a resilient gut microbiome by aiding in the early colonization process, fostering a diverse and balanced microbial community that may, in turn, promote healthy development.

The Lallemand Health Solutions/dsm-firmenich partnership features infant-specific strains like B. infantis Rosell-33, B. bifidum Rosell-71, and L. helveticus Rosell-52. These have been clinically shown to maintain bifidobacteria-rich microbiomes and support intestinal and immune maturation. The strains were selected for their proven safety, efficacy, and synergy with HMOs.

Are there emerging trends in infant gut health that could change how caregivers approach early-life nutrition?

Barassé: Key trends include the use of synergistic synbiotics, which combine human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) and probiotics to establish a healthy intestinal microbiome from the start. This approach may redefine early-life nutrition by targeting key areas of infants’ development, such as digestive health, immunity, cognitive, and metabolic development.

How do HMOs interact with probiotics to support infant gut health?

Mestdagh: HMOs and probiotics — especially Bifidobacterium species — work synergistically to support infant gut health and broader physiological development. HMOs are complex, non-digestible carbohydrates found abundantly in human breast milk. They reach the infant colon intact and serve as selective substrates for beneficial gut bacteria, particularly B. infantis.

B. infantis has specialized genetic machinery to metabolize HMOs efficiently, giving it a competitive advantage in colonizing the infant gut. This metabolism produces short-chain fatty acids like acetate and lactate, strengthening the intestinal barrier and serving as substrates for other beneficial microbes (cross-feeding).

What are the key differences between complementary and synergistic synbiotics, and why might they matter?

Mestdagh: The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics defines a synbiotic as “a mixture comprising live microorganisms and substrate(s) selectively utilized by host microorganisms that confers a health benefit on the host.” Combining the live microorganism with the active substrate would achieve a synergistic effect, amplifying the benefits beyond what would occur when probiotics or prebiotics were provided individually. 

The webinar will cover the role of probiotics in restoring microbial balance, focusing on clinical evidence for specific infant strains. Recently, synbiotics have been further classified into two distinct categories: complementary and synergistic. Complementary synbiotics consist of a combination of a probiotic and a prebiotic that function independently. The prebiotic aims to enhance the growth of the host’s existing beneficial microorganisms, while the probiotic introduces new beneficial microorganisms. Synergistic synbiotics combine a substrate and a live microorganism, with the substrate specifically chosen to drive the growth of the co-administered live microorganism. “Syn” in the word “synbiotic” thus means “together.”

How is your partnership translating research into practical nutritional strategies?

Mestdagh: The partnership between dsm-firmenich and Lallemand Health Solutions is a compelling example of how cutting-edge microbiome research is being used to bolster nutritional strategies for infants. The core of the partnership lies in creating synergistic synbiotics — combinations of HMOs from dsm-firmenich and clinically validated probiotics from Lallemand. These solutions are designed to support the infant microbiome development, enhance immune system maturation, and promote gut-brain axis development. Based on respective company capabilities, this partnership offers new opportunities for infant formula manufacturers to develop targeted, synergistic synbiotics designed to meet their specific needs.