Infant Formula

Cell-based breast milk in development to replace ‘suboptimal’ bovine infant formula

27-Nov-2023 By Flora Southey

Can the complexities of breast milk be replicated by cows? France-based Nūmi doesn’t think so. The start-up is turning to cell culture to develop the ‘closest thing possible’ to breast milk.

Nestlé launches probiotic and HMO blend to mirror breastmilk changes

27-Oct-2023 By Nikki Hancocks

Nestlé has launched a new proprietary blend for infant nutrition combining a probiotic strain with varying levels of six human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) to support the developing infant through its life stages.

SelenoExcell achieves self-affirmed GRAS

16-Oct-2023 By Danielle Masterson

The standardized high-selenium yeast–a more efficacious food form of the mineral–is also GRAS-affirmed for use in a variety of food categories.

FrieslandCampina Ingredients eyes ‘pockets of growth’ with new child nutrition portfolio

28-Sep-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

The company is pivoting its dairy-derived early life nutrition ingredients into a portfolio designed to enhance the nutritional value of products aimed at children aged 3 and up.

FDA issues warning letters to ByHeart, Reckitt and Perrigo over ‘significant’ code violations

07-Sep-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

The regulator is seeking further 'corrective actions' from the manufacturers, who each issued voluntary product recalls over Cronobacter sakazakii fears in the past 12 months.

dsm-firmenich gets FDA GRAS for novel HMOs

16-Aug-2023 By Stephen Daniells

The US FDA has issued ‘Good Day Letters’ to dsm-firmenich for three Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) notices submitted for the human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) LNFP-l/2’-FL and hypoallergenic grade LNnT and 2’-FL.

Infant formula industry fights back at ‘misleading’ Lancet papers: ‘Advertising is not the main factor limiting breastfeeding’

04-Aug-2023 By Flora Southey

A series of papers on breastfeeding, published in The Lancet this year, gives the misleading impression that infant formula advertising is the main factor limiting breastfeeding, argues implicated trade associations.

‘Nutritionally significant’: Could USDA milk cuts reduce access to dairy for vulnerable infants, adults?

12-Apr-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

The International Dairy Foods Association says lowering the amount of dairy products offered as part of the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program would mean participants would get fewer essential nutrients.

‘We consistently see high demand’: FrieslandCampina quadruples lactoferrin production with new factory

23-Mar-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

The Dutch dairy co-op has significantly bolstered its production capacity for lactoferrin with the unveiling of a dedicated manufacturing plant in Veghel, the Netherlands.

Danone’s Pepticate hypoallergenic infant formula finally makes US debut

13-Mar-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

The product, made by Danone’s specialized nutrition arm Nutricia, was meant to be available from September 2022 according to initial plans.

Abbott investigated over infant formula manufacture and contracts by SEC, FTC

27-Feb-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

According to a SEC filing, Abbott Laboratories has also made more than $20bn in COVID-19 testing-related sales over three years.

ByHeart to triple its production of infant formula, reinforce supply chain with facility acquisitions

30-Jan-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

With this month’s acquisitions of an additional domestic manufacturing facility and an FDA-registered packaging and blending facility, infant formula company ByHeart successfully consolidated its supply chain and significantly boosted its production capacity...

NAMUH teams up with Ginkgo Bioworks on HMOs via precision fermentation as race to improve the nutrition of infant formula gathers pace

19-Jan-2023 By Elaine Watson

As the race to create infant formula ever closer in composition to human breast milk gathers pace, Berkeley-based infant nutrition startup NAMUH and synthetic biology specialist Ginkgo Bioworks have teamed up to develop human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs)...

'A new class of ingredients...' Precision fermentation-fueled startup Helaina to expand protein offerings beyond babies

12-Dec-2022 By Danielle Masterson

Utilizing precision fermentation to produce immune-system-supporting glycoproteins found in breast milk, Helaina is bridging the gap between traditional formula and breastfeeding. Now the company has its sights set on bringing its technology to a wider...

Researchers find the molecules in breast milk that may protect infants from developing allergies

16-Nov-2022 By Oliver Morrison

Scientists have identified the specific molecules in breast milk which if added to formula may help address the disparity that formula-fed babies are more sensitive to allergens.

Specific HMOs linked to infant brain development: Study

19-Sep-2022 By Stephen Daniells

Individual human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) may play critical roles in the maturation of gray matter in an infant brain, showing that inclusion of specific HMOs in infant formula could be beneficial, says a new study.

Kendal Nutricare first new international supplier to enter US amid infant formula crisis

25-May-2022 By Katy Askew

The US Food and Drug Administration has revealed it will exercise ‘enforcement discretion’ to allow Kendal Nutricare to begin importing infant formula products to the US in a bid to ease the shortages that have hit the market.

US FDA combatting infant formula shortage sparked by Abbott recall: 'We recognize that many consumers have been unable to access infant formula'

11-May-2022 By Katy Askew

The US Food and Drug Administration has detailed how it aims to increase the availability of infant and speciality formulas, as shortages on shelf are tied to higher demand and a recall of some Abbott Nutrition products.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Race to create next gen infant formula heats up with Helaina fundraise

14-Feb-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Originally designed to help babies grow, but not much else, traditional infant formula often falls far short of delivering the same benefits as breast milk, which also boosts immunity, contributes to cognitive development, is more easily digested, and...

Cleaning up infant formula: Bobbie sets new standard for the category

25-Jan-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Bobbie, a direct-to-consumer organic infant formula brand that has taken off like a rocket ship in its first year on the market, is raising the bar for the category after receiving the Clean Label Purity Award as well as certification as a Pesticide-Free...

Food For Kids highlights: As parents navigate early childhood nutrition, industry faces ‘mommy-shaming’ traps, misconceptions about breast- and formula-feeding

18-Nov-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

An emerging market for lactation support products aiming to help more women hit the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation to exclusively breastfeed for the first six months is much-needed, but also could trigger unintended consequences depending...

Despite improvement in infant formula marketing, ‘major gaps’ persist threatening level playing field, children’s health

24-Jun-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

While several major baby food and infant formula manufacturers have pulled back or altered their advertising and lobbying practices significantly in recent years to reduce the risk of discouraging breastfeeding, many companies continue to fall woefully...

Cell-cultured human milk will be nutritional gamechanger for infant formula, says BIOMILQ, ‘but it’s not bio-identical to mother’s milk’

01-Jun-2021 By Elaine Watson

BIOMILQ – a North Carolina-based startup culturing human mammary cells that lactate – says new tests show its milk is not bio-identical to breastmilk, but is significantly closer to it than any infant formula currently on the market.

Citizen Petition argues toddler milks threaten children’s health and pose ‘economic harm’ to families

28-Jul-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

In a Citizen’s Petition filed today, children’s health advocates are ramping up pressure on FDA to address the labeling of so-called ‘transition formulas’ or ‘toddler milks,’ which they say offer “no unique nutritional value,” threaten the health of young...

Report highlights ‘substantial opportunity to harmonize’ development of feeding guidelines for infant and children up to 2-years-old

08-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

“More rigorous methods” are necessary for developing, communicating, and disseminating recommendations for feeding children from birth to 24 months -- arguably the most critical window for nutrition for a child, according to new report by the private,...

BIOMILQ raises $3.5m to fund mammary cell-cultured human breastmilk platform, disrupt infant nutrition market

16-Jun-2020 By Elaine Watson

BIOMILQ – a startup producing breastmilk by culturing human mammary cells - has raised $3.5m to meet the needs of the four fifths of women who transition to dairy-based formula before the recommended six-month exclusivity period for breastfeeding, but...

News in brief

Infant formula game changer? Conagen develops novel approach to lactoferrin production

30-Apr-2020 By Elaine Watson

Synthetic biology specialist Conagen says it has come up with a cost effective way to produce lactoferrin protein that mirrors the nutritional properties of lactoferrin from breast milk, a potential game changer in the infant formula market.

FDA, FTC and healthcare professionals should discourage toddler milk consumption, research suggests

04-Feb-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Researchers with the UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity are calling on US regulators to severely restrict advertising for toddler milks and strengthen labeling requirements for the products after long-term market analysis revealed a significant...

US and China sign ‘phase one’ of new trade deal

16-Jan-2020 By Beth Newhart

After coming to a verbal trade agreement in December, President Donald Trump and General Secretary Xi Jinping signed the first installment of the deal on Wednesday.

RB partners with Evolve BioSystems on infant probiotic products

09-Dec-2019 By Stephen Daniells

The new partnership leverages RB’s national footprint to expand the reach and adoption of Evivo, Evolve BioSystems' infant probiotic, across the United States.

Breastfeeding is better for infants, but is it also better for the environment? Yes, researchers argue

03-Oct-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

Exclusively breastfeeding children for the first six months of their lives has long been recognized as a gold standard for improving infant health, but new research suggests it also could dramatically benefit the health of the planet as well – reinforcing...

VITAFOODS 2017

Infant nutrition: The business of ‘selling sleep’ and ‘peace of mind’

16-May-2017 By Will Chu

Infant nutrition is in the business of ‘selling sleep’ according to the CEO of Food for Health Ireland in a panel discussion at the trade event Vitafoods.

Worldwide infant formula sales set to rocket as China ends one-child policy

04-Nov-2015 By Oliver Haenlein

The abandonment of the one-child policy in China is expected to grow sales of infant formula by 10-15%, with 1.5-2 million more babies likely to be born each year in the country.

CFIA urges Canadian consumers to check infant formula for 'tampering'

03-Jun-2015 By Mark ASTLEY

Canadian consumers that purchase infant formula are being urged to check packs for signs of tampering and product substitution.

More than half Similac Organic ingredients 'not allowed in organic foods': US lawsuit

01-Jun-2015 By Mark ASTLEY

Three US consumers have filed a class action lawsuit against Abbott Laboratories, claiming its Similac Advance Organic infant formula contains 26 ingredients not permitted in organic food.

Abbott Laboratories launching non-GMO Similac infant formula in US

26-May-2015 By Mark ASTLEY

Abbott Laboratories is launching a non-GMO version of its popular Similac Advance infant formula in the US - a decision its denies was fuelled by pressure from campaigners.

FDA publishes safety-driven infant formula manufacturing final rule

10-Jun-2014 By Mark ASTLEY

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has finalized a set of manufacturing guidelines designed to ensure infant formula products produced for domestic sale are “safe and support healthy growth.”

US hospital infant formula sample giveaways 'not violation of WHO Code'

03-Jun-2014 By Mark ASTLEY

The International Formula Council (IFC) has dismissed claims that the US practice of providing free hospital discharge bags containing samples of infant formula is in violation of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes.