Breast-milk lactobacilli and bifidobacteria: opportunities for the development of infant formulas

Abstract

Breast-milk is the best food for infant nutrition and development, protecting the newborn against allergies and infections. The main difference between breast and formula-fed infants regards the higher level of Bifidobacterium in the gut microbiota of the former group. This has been traditionally attributed to the presence of bifidogenic compounds, but recent studies indicate the presence of lactic acid bacteria and also bifidobacteria in breast-milk. The isolation and characterisation of these breast-milk microorganisms would allow the inclusion of specifically-selected bacteria in formulas targeted at both pre-term and full-term infants. This constitutes a very promising area for the development of new products aiming at assisting in the establishment of a healthy gut microbiota and a proper intestinal barrier resembling that of breast-fed infants.