Prebiotics (a non-digestible food ingredient that affect the growth or  
activity of certain bacteria in the colon) have been added to many formulas  for 
years. These compounds (typically some form of oligosaccharides) are not  human 
derived but more often tinkered with in a laboratory or actually  transgenic. 
Human milk oligosaccharides contain human blood group antigens, with  women 
from different blood groups exhibiting distinct patterns. Lactating  mothers may 
differ genetically in their ability to produce protective  oligosaccharides 
and can influence their infant's susceptibility to enteric  disease. Formulas 
with artificial oligosaccharides are marketed with claims that  they reduce 
gastrointestinal diseases.
 
Probiotics will also be added to infant formulas for the same reasons.  
Probiotics are live bacteria. The constant additions of ingredients that mimic  
those found in human milk is quite worrying as most of this does not behave in  
the same way that the real things do. Here is a list of stuff in infant formula 
 that we will never see spelled out on a formula label!
 
fermented microalgae (DHA)
tuna eyeballs (DHA)
viral DNA (found in genetically engineered corn and soy)
soil fungus (ARA)
yeast (source of oligosaccharides)
bacteria (source of probiotics which may also be transgenic)
 
I wonder how many parents and clinicians actually understand anything about  
what is put in infant formula. New additions are constantly added to give a  
company an edge on the competition and increase its sales and market share. So  
little real research is done on the effects of these ingredients on 
vulnerable  infants. The public and health care providers are dazzled by claims that  
infant  formula is closer to breast milk than ever, so why bother  
breastfeeding. Too bad nurses and physicians can be bought off with dinners and  trinkets 
when what they should be doing is protecting the health of infants who  can't 
refuse this array of food additives with unknown outcomes.
 
Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC
Weston, MA
 
 
 

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