This study investigated growth, safety, and tolerance in healthy infants consuming a partly fermented infant formula (IF) with postbiotics, 2′-linked fucosyllactose (2′-FL), a specific prebiotic mixture of short-chain galacto-oligosaccharides (scGOS) and long-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (lcFOS), and milk fat. This double-blind, controlled trial randomised 215 fully IF-fed infants ≤ 14 days of age to either: Test Group (IF) containing 26% fermented formula with postbiotics derived from Lactofidus fermentation process (including 3′-Galactosyllactose; 3′-GL), 0.8 g/100 mL scGOS/lcFOS (9:1), 0.1 g/100 mL 2′-FL, and milk fat), or Control group (IF with 0.8 g/100 mL scGOS/lcFOS (9:1)) until 17 weeks of age. Fully breastfed infants were included as a reference. Anthropometric measures, gastrointestinal symptoms, and safety were assessed monthly. Equivalence in weight gain (primary outcome) between the Test and Control groups was confirmed (difference in means −0.08 g/day; 90% CI (−1.47;1.31)) with estimated mean weight gain (SE) of 31.00 (0.59) g/day and 31.08 (0.60) g/day, respectively, (PP population, n = 196). Equivalence in length and head circumference gain between the randomised groups was also confirmed. No statistically significant differences were observed in adverse events or gastrointestinal tolerance between randomised IF groups. A partly fermented IF with postbiotics, specific oligosaccharides, 2′-FL, and milk fat supports adequate infant growth and is safe and well-tolerated in healthy term infants.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the growth and tolerance in healthy, term infants consuming a synbiotic formula with daily weight gain as the primary outcome. In a randomised, controlled, double-blind, multicentre, intervention study infants were assigned to an extensively hydrolysed formula containing a specific combination ofBifidobacterium breveM-16V and a prebiotic mixture (short-chain galacto-oligosaccharides and long-chain fructo-oligosaccharides in a 9:1 ratio; scGOS/lcFOS; synbiotic group), or the same formula without this synbiotic concept for 13 weeks (control group). Anthropometry, formula intake, tolerance, stool characteristics, blood parameters, faecal microbiota and metabolic faecal profile were assessed. Medically confirmed adverse events were recorded throughout the study. Equivalence in daily weight gain was demonstrated for the intention-to-treat (ITT) population (n211). In the per-protocol (PP) population (n102), the 90 % CI of the difference in daily weight gain slightly crossed the lower equivalence margin. During the intervention period, the mean weight-for-age and length-for-age values were close to the median of the WHO growth standards in both groups, indicating adequate growth. The number of adverse events was not different between both groups. No relevant differences were observed in blood parameters indicative for liver and renal function. At 13 weeks, an increased percentage of faecal bifidobacteria (60v. 48 %) and a reduced percentage ofClostridium lituseburense/C. histolyticum(0·2v. 2·6 %) were observed in the synbiotic group (n19) compared with the control group (n27). In conclusion, this study demonstrates that an extensively hydrolysed formula withB. breveM-16V and the prebiotic mixture scGOS/lcFOS (9:1) supports an adequate infant growth.

Daily separation of sows and piglets during lactation, intermittent suckling (IS), improves feed intake and postweaning adaptation in piglets. The aim of the current study was to determine how, in piglets that have been subjected to IS, age at weaning and the duration of the preceding IS period contribute to postweaning adaptation through effects on feed intake, growth, and gut characteristics. All piglets had ad libitum access to creep feed from d 7. Litters were subjected to conventional weaning (CW) or to 1 of 3 IS regimens. In CW, litters (n = 29) had continuous access to the sow until weaning (d 26, d 0 = farrowing). During IS, litters had access to the sow between 1600 and 0600 h. Litters in the IS treatments were subjected to IS 1) from d 19 onward and weaned at d 26 (IS19–7D, n = 33), 2) from d 19 onward and weaned at d 33 (IS19–14D, n = 28), or 3) from d 26 onward and weaned at d 33 (IS26–7D, n = 33). The IS19–7D regimen resulted in a relative growth check within the first 2 d after weaning similar to CW litters (72 ± 13 and 90 ± 7%, respectively), but in a greater piglet growth (P = 0.014) and feed intake (P = 0.001) between d 2 and 7 postweaning. Moreover, IS19–7D was not associated with a (further) reduction in villus height as observed at d 2 postweaning in CW litters. In IS piglets weaned after an extended lactation (d 33), a markedly smaller weaning-associated relative growth check was observed shortly postweaning (11 ± 18 and 32 ± 19% for IS19–14D and IS26–7D litters, respectively). In these litters, feed intake and growth within the first 2 d after weaning were slightly greater when piglets were subjected to IS for 2 wk (IS19–14D) rather than for 1 wk (IS26–7D; P = 0.032 and P = 0.037 for feed intake and growth, respectively). Irrespective of duration of IS, weaning at d 33 with IS was not associated with a reduction in villus height. Irrespective of treatment, plasma citrulline concentrations were reduced at d 2 and 8 postweaning compared with the values at weaning (P ≤ 0.01). No correlation was observed between postweaning plasma citrulline concentrations and postweaning small intestinal villus height. This study indicates that 1 wk of IS before weaning at d 26 of lactation improves feed intake and growth between d 2 and 7 postweaning and does not result in a reduction of villus height as observed in CW piglets, although it did not prevent a profound growth check shortly after weaning. However, combining 1 wk of IS with an extended lactation improved postweaning adaptation markedly in terms of growth, feed intake, and gut characteristics. Increasing the duration of IS from 1 to 2 wk slightly improved growth and feed intake shortly after weaning, but the contribution to postweaning adaptation seemed to be relatively small compared with extending lactation.

This study evaluated the effect of a partly fermented infant formula (using the bacterial strains Bifidobacterium breve C50 and Streptococcus thermophilus 065) with a specific prebiotic mixture (short-chain galacto-oligosaccharides (scGOS) and long-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (lcFOS; 9:1)) on the incidence of gastrointestinal symptoms, stool characteristics, sleeping and crying behaviour, growth adequacy and safety. Two-hundred infants ≤28 days of age were assigned either to experimental infant formula containing 30% fermented formula and 0.8 g/100 mL scGOS/lcFOS or to non-fermented control infant formula without scGOS/lcFOS. A group of breastfed infants served as a reference. No relevant differences in parent-reported gastrointestinal symptoms were observed. Stool consistency was softer in the experimental versus control group with values closer to the breastfed reference group. Daily weight gain was equivalent for both formula groups (0.5 SD margins) with growth outcomes close to breastfed infants. No clinically relevant differences in adverse events were observed, apart from a lower investigator-reported prevalence of infantile colic in the experimental versus control group (1.1% vs. 8.7%; p < 0.02). Both study formulae are well-tolerated, support an adequate infant growth and are safe for use in healthy term infants. Compared to the control formula, the partly fermented formula with prebiotics induces stool consistencies closer to breastfed infants.

The objective of the current study was to investigate whether plasma citrulline or intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) concentrations might be used as longitudinal markers for small intestinal function in piglets after weaning. Plasma citrulline and I-FABP concentrations were measured longitudinally in weaned and unweaned piglets, and related to intestinal absorption values (i.e., plasma mannitol and 3-xylose concentrations in a sugar absorption test). Within each litter (n = 10), 2 piglets with a close-to-litter-average BW were selected. At 20.8 ± 0.4 d of age, the selected piglets per litter were either weaned conventionally (CW) or remained with the sow (UNW). One day before, and 0.5, 2, 4, and 7 d after weaning of the CW piglets, the selected piglets of both groups were subjected to a sugar absorption test. After a 2-h fast, piglets were administered an oral dose of 2 mL/kg of sugar solution, containing 50 mg/kg of mannitol and 100 mg/kg of 3-xylose. One hour after administration, a blood sample was collected from a jugular vein for determination of plasma I-FABP, citrulline, mannitol, and 3-xylose concentrations. Plasma I-FABP concentration showed great variation within treatments, and no difference was observed in plasma I-FABP concentrations between the CW and UNW treatments (P = 0.63). The absorption of 3-xylose was not different between treatments (P = 0.83). Mannitol absorption, however, was less in the weaned CW piglets compared with the UNW piglets (P = 0.003), with the nadir on d 4 postweaning. Weaning also reduced plasma citrulline concentrations in the CW treatment compared with the UNW treatment (P < 0.001). On d 4 and 7 postweaning, plasma citrulline concentrations of CW piglets were less (P < 0.001 and P = 0.0013) than preweaning values. Furthermore, in the CW treatment, plasma citrulline concentrations correlated with plasma mannitol concentrations at d 4 postweaning (r = 0.89, P = 0.008) and overall (r = 0.76, P = 0.001). Based on these results, plasma citrulline concentration seems to be a possible marker for monitoring intestinal function in pigs after weaning. Copyright © 2008. . Copyright 2008 Journal of Animal Science

Limited and inconsistent evidence exists on the associations between dietary patterns and overweight during childhood. The present study describes dietary patterns of three-year-old Dutch children and associations between childhood overweight and body mass index (BMI) development between 3 and 10 years. In the GECKO Drenthe birth cohort (N = 1306), body height and weight were measured around the age of 3, 4, 5, and 10 years, and overweight was defined according to Cole and Lobstein. A validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to measure diet at 3 years. Dietary patterns were derived using principal components analysis (PCA). Using logistic regression analyses, pattern scores were related to overweight at 3 and 10 years. A linear mixed-effect model was used to estimate BMI-SDS development between 3 to 10 years according to quartiles of adherence to the pattern scores. Two dietary patterns were identified: (1) ‘minimally processed foods’, indicating high intakes of vegetables/sauces/savory dishes, and (2) ‘ultra-processed foods’, indicating high intakes of white bread/crisps/sugary drinks. A 1 SD increase in the ‘ultra-processed foods’ pattern score increased the odds of overweight at 10 years (adjusted OR: 1.30; 95%CI: 1.08, 1.57; p = 0.006). The ‘minimally processed foods’ pattern was not associated with overweight. Although a high adherence to both dietary patterns was associated with a higher BMI-SDS up to 10 years of age, a stronger association for the ‘ultra-processed foods’ pattern was observed (p < 0.001). A dietary pattern high in energy-dense and low-fiber ultra-processed foods at 3 years is associated with overweight and a high BMI-SDS later in childhood.