Just wanted to share this patent called, "Reduction of gastrointestinal disease-producing orgnaisms with sialic acid and gangliosides," with the inventor being Ann C. Ettinger and filed in 1985. This is a patent for a "mother's milk substitute." The Riordan/Auerbach text, "Breastfeeding and Human Lactation," states that "congenital or primary lactase deficiency is exceedingly rare; some authorities question its existence." (page 129--second edition) The infant formula industry owns human milk component patents (mostly methods to produce them synthetically), they have funded alot of human milk research. They know the science. They should be the ones to produce the evidence that states their "public position." This particular patent has no assignee. And the inventor is unknown to me. So I do not know whether this ever became a product. But its interesting to learn what has been know for years about human milk. I think this information is like a state secret--heaven forbid the public get ahold of this information. Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC http://www.uspto/patft/index.html patent # 4762822 "A recent report by Koopman et al., Am. J. Public Health, May 1985, compared data on 143 babies with gastrointestinal illness and 143 babies free of such illness. Their case-control study indicated that babies fed on formula were at 6 times the risk of babies on breast milk and 2.5 times the risk of babies on cows'milk. Among those substances in human milk reported to provide anti-infective properties are a growth enhancer for lactobacillus, an antistaphlococcal agent, immunoglobulins, complement components, lysozyme, lactoperoxidose, lactoferrin, macrophages, lymphocytes and lipids (Kabara, above). However, whether these factors protect the mammary gland from infection or confer infection resistance on the child is unknown (Kabara, above). The gut of the breast-fed human infant is enriched with lactobacilli in comparison to the gut of infants who are not breast-fed. This difference has been attributed to a lactobacillus growth factor and the high concentration of lactose in human milk, along with its low bulk, low protein content and low buffering capacity. It has been postulated that the high lactose concentration allows sufficient lactose to pass to the intestine to support the growth of lactose fermenters that produce acid conditions and encourage lactobacilli. The large population of lactobacilli alters growth conditions in the gut creating an environment in which diarrhea-producing organisms are less likely to grow (Welsh, above)." *********************************************** 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