Cow & Gate have, over 10 years, achieved the development of prebiotic OS, completed their implementation into core infant and follow-on milks and conducted clinical trials with term and preterm infants.

Trials have consistently demonstrated that the prebiotic OS that have been added to Cow & Gate milks, promote and increase in friendly bacteria (bifidobacteria) similar to breastfed infants. All the trials that have been performed using the unique prebiotic mix have been published, and they all confirm that the unique prebiotic mix consistently increases bifidobacteria levels in bottlefed infants.

At the current time, the practical way to get a picture of what is happening within the gut flora is to look at the bacteria present in the stools that are produced by the infant. Therefore, clinical trials looking at the effect of prebiotic OS on gut flora look at the effect on the bacteria present in the stools as a marker of gut flora.
In these studies, three main benefits of the addition of prebiotic OS into infant milk formula have been identified:

Prebiotics OS can beneficially alter a baby`s gut flora so that it becomes closer to that of a breastfed baby. Prebiotic OS can produce softer stools, more like that of a breastfed baby. ^1,2,3

A recent paper has shown that prebiotic OS can increase the percentage of friendly bacteria in babies who have been previously formula fed, and stimulate the metabolic activity of the gut flora. ⁴

Prebiotic OS can decrease the amount of potentially pathogenic bacteria in a baby`s stools. ^5,6

Cow & Gate product information

Click here for abstracts relating to prebiotic oligosaccharide research.

References

1. Moro G et al. Dosage related bifidogenic effects of galacto- and fructo- oligosaccharides in formula-fed term infants.J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2002; 34: 291-295.
2. Boehm G et al. Supplementation of a bovine milk formula with oligosaccharide mixture increases counts of faecal bifidobacteria in preterm infants. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2002; 86: F178-F181.
3. Schmelzle H et al. Randomized double-blind study of the nutritional efficacy and bifidogenicity of a new infant formula containing partially hydrolyzed protein, a high ß-palmitic acid level and non-digestible oligosaccharides. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2003; 36: 343-351
4. Knol J et.al. Colon microflora in infants fed formula with galacto- and fructo-oligosaccharides: more like breastfed infants. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2005; 40: 36-42.
5. Boehm G et al. Effect of increasing number of intestinal bifidobacteria on the presence of clinically relevant pathogens. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2003,4; 36: 578. Follow-up study.
6. Knol J et al. An infant formula containing prebiotics changes the intestinal microflora of term infants. J Petriatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2003,4; 36: 566. Follow-up study.