The Impact of a Prebiotics and Lactoferrin Containing Infant Formula on Stool Characteristics in Healthy Term Infants

The Impact of a Prebiotics and Lactoferrin Containing Infant Formula on Stool Characteristics in Healthy Term Infants

Human milk (HM) is considered the gold standard nutrient for infants, which contains a lot of beneficial nutrients such as prebiotics and lactoferrin. Previous studies have shown that both prebiotics and lactoferrin play important roles in generating a bifidobacteria-dominated colonic microflora.The purpose of this study is to investigate the stool characteristics,acceptability, and gastrointestinal tolerance in term infants fed a starting infant formula supplemented with prebiotics and lactoferrin.

Human milk (HM) is considered the gold standard nutrient for infants, which contains a lot of beneficial nutrients such as prebiotics and lactoferrin. Previous studies have shown that both prebiotics and lactoferrin play important roles in generating a bifidobacteria-dominated colonic microflora as well as the intestinal immune systems. The purpose of this study is to investigate the stool characteristics（including intestinal microbiota） acceptability, and gastrointestinal tolerance in infants fed a starting infant formula supplemented with prebiotics and lactoferrin, and compared these data with infants on exclusively breast feeding.

Inclusion Criteria:

• full-term with a birth weight ≥2,500 g
• be in good health
• without symptoms of diarrhea, and had not received antibiotics for at least 1 week before enrollment
• exclusively fed by breast milk or infant formula

Exclusion Criteria:

• preterm infant
• with known diseases or currently taking medication drugs
• mixed feeding
• with symptoms of diarrhea
• received antibiotics within 1 week