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 *********************************************** 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(R) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html