The science of breast milk and baby formula
Nina Notman reveals how breast milk research is inspiring a new generation of infant formulas and opening the door to therapeutic advances
Most formulas are based on cows’ milk with modifications and supplementations to make it more suitable for the human baby. The ingredients vary between brands and products, and formulations are constantly evolving as our understanding of what infants need to thrive grows and scientific advances open the door to the manufacture of novel ingredients.
The medical and public health communities unanimously agree that breast milk is the optimum food for babies. It’s therefore unsurprising that the composition of infant formula is slowly edging closer to that of breast milk. The biggest change in infant formula in recent years has been the addition of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs).