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). *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [log in to unmask] The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html