Effect of a fermented infant formula containing viable bifidobacteria on the fecal flora composition and pH of healthy full-term infants.
We assessed the growth, tolerance, and acceptability as well as fecal flora composition and stool pH of 20 healthy full-term infants fed with a fermented whey-adapted infant formula containing viable bifidobacteria (10(6)/g of powder) during the first 2 months of life. This fermented infant formula, first biologically acidified by Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus helveticus, was compared to a whey-adapted, nonacidified, low-phosphate infant formula in a double-blind, randomized controlled study. The results were compared to a control group (n = 14) of fully breast-fed infants. The fermented whey-adapted formula containing viable bifidobacteria induced a prevalence of colonization with bifidobacteria at 1 month of age similar to that of breast-fed infants (12/20 versus 8/14) but significantly higher than in the group fed the standard infant formula (4/20). The mean bacterial count of bifidobacteria was similar in all colonized infants; however, fecal pH was significantly lower in the breast-fed infants than in the nonacidified bottle-fed infants. This kind of infant formula was well tolerated and promoted a normal growth during the first 2 months.
D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001942:Breast Feeding; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005285:Fermentation; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008894:Milk Proteins; D000067816:Whey Proteins
D008894:Milk Proteins; D000067816:Whey Proteins