Topical Area: Maternal, Perinatal and Pediatric Nutrition
Objectives : Human milk is rich in oligosaccharides (OS) that impart significant health benefits to the infant. When breast feeding is not possible, infant formula (IF) is used as an alternative. However, little is known about the presence of OS in IF and their potential health effects. This study was aimed at quantifying naturally occurring OS in a commercial goat’s milk IF and examining their prebiotic and anti-infection properties.
Methods :
OS were isolated from IF using molecular weight cut-off filters and HILIC-LC/MS system. Prebiotic activity of OS was assessed by co-incubating Bifidobacterium (BB12 and BB526) and Lactobacillus (LA4461 and LC2607) strains in growth media with or without OS anaerobically at 37°C for 24 hr and measuring OD600. Anti-adhesion potential of OS was determined by co-incubating E. coli NCTC 10418 and S. typhimurium, pre-incubated with or without OS for 2 hr at 37°C, with Caco-2 cells for 90 min. After PBS washes and cell lysis, supernatants were plated onto agars for measuring bacterial counts and calculating the anti-adhesion %.
Results : Fourteen OS were quantified in goat’s milk IF, of which 5 were structurally similar to those reported in human milk. At concentrations similar to those in reconstituted IF, OS fractions were significantly effective in enhancing the growth of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli strains and preventing the adhesion of E. coli NCTC10418 (52.4%) and S. typhimurium (35%) to the Caco-2 cells.
Conclusions :
Goat’s milk IF contains several naturally occurring human milk-like OS that appear to promote the growth of beneficial gut microbes and protect against gut pathogens.
Funding Sources :
No conflicts of interest were involved. Nuchev Pty Ltd. provided goat’s milk IF. Research costs were covered by RMIT University.
Andrea Leong
PhD Candidate
RMIT University, Australia
Liu Zhiqian
Senior Research Scientist
AgriBioSciences
Christopher Pillidge
Lecturer in Food Technology
RMIT University, Australia
Bogdan Zisu
Senior Lecturer in Food Science
RMIT University, Australia
Simone Rochfort
Senior Research Fellow
AgriBioSciences, Melbourne, Australia
Harsharn Gill
Professor Food and Health Biosciences
RMIT University
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