An example of my previous post to Lactnet on bifidobacteria is a patent
called, "Nutritional formulations containing lacto-N--neotetraose."  Patent #
6083934.   The assignee is Abbott (a formula company) and the inventor is Prieto et
al.  This patent states that LNnT (lacto-N-neotetraose, an oliosaccharide,
"can be isolated in any manner known per se from pooled human milk or produced
by chemical synthesis.."  The infant formula company has found that this
particular human milk component will make its formula more like human milk, the gold
standard.   I found the following from the patent to be useful in
understanding bifidobacteria and the breastfed infant.  Rather ironic to be learning
about human milk through the infant formula industry.  But then they own alot of
the research and somehow they have obtained the samples of human milk that help
them become "inventors."
Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC

Patent # 6083934
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Before birth, a fetus exists in a practically germ-free state, as the fetus
is protected by the defense mechanisms of its mother. During parturition, the
neonate is exposed to an abundance of bacteria from the mother's vaginal and
skin flora as well as from the surrounding environment. Several weeks after its
birth, the intestinal microflora of the neonate becomes established. The
composition of this microflora is relatively simple and is believed to be
influenced by the variety of bacteria the baby comes in contact with as well as the
baby's diet.

In the first few months of life, an infant's diet consists mainly of human
breast milk and/or formula. Human breast milk is well-known to contain more than
100 different oligosaccharides, some of which are genetically determined.
Unfortunately, the structural similarities of many of the carbohydrates have made
it difficult to isolate, identify and quantify these oligosaccharides.

Many beneficial functions have been attributed to human milk and its
oligosaccharides. In fact, several studies have found that the stool of breast-fed
infants differs from that of formula-fed infants. More specifically, studies have
shown that stool from breast-fed infants has a lower pH, a higher proportion
of bacteria of the genus Bifidobacterium, and a lower proportion of less
desirable putrefactive-type bacteria than the stools from formula-fed infants.
Studies have found that the low pH of human breast milk (5.0) inhibits the growth
of Bacteroides spp., Clostridium, spp. and Escherichia coli (E. coli).
(Beerens, H., et al., Amer. J. Clin. Nut. 33:2434-2439 (November 1980, this
reference, as well as all other publications and patents disclosed herein, are
incorporated by reference). Therefore, the breast-fed infant possesses a natural
defense against Bacteroides, Clostridium, and E. coli, which gives the infant a
resistance to gastroenteritis. Id. Furthermore, the introduction of cow's milk or
formula into the diet of an exclusively breast-fed infant usually results in
a substantial increase in the number of these bacteria. Petschow, B. W., et
al., J. Clin. Microbio., 28:287-292 (1990).




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