Effects on faecal microbiota of dietary and acidic oligosaccharides in children during partial formula feeding.
OBJECTIVE
To test the safety and effect on faecal microbiota of a formula with prebiotic oligosaccharides alone or in combination with acidic oligosaccharides in infants at the age of partial formula feeding.


METHODS
The study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised intervention trial in which 82 healthy, full-term, partially breast-fed children, from 1 week to 3 months old, were given 1 of the following formulae: whey-based formula (control group), whey-based formula with galacto- and long-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (scGOS/lcFOS group), or whey-based formula with galacto- and long-chain fructo-oligosaccharides added with pectin-derived acidic oligosaccharides (scGOS/lcFOS/pAOS group). Children were studied for the duration of the partial formula feeding period and every 2 weeks for 2 months after breast-feeding cessation. The total bacteria count and the proportion of 7 bacterial families were determined using in situ hybridisation coupled to flow cytometry.


RESULTS
The total bacterial count did not alter with time or type of feeding (9.9 +/- 0.1 log10 cells per gram wet weight). Compared with the control group, there was an increase of the Bifidobacterium genus (P = 0.0001), and a decrease of proportions for the Bacteroides group (P = 0.02) and the Clostridium coccoides group (P = 0.01) in both oligosaccharide groups. The proportion of bifidobacteria was significantly higher in the scGOS/lcFOS/pAOS compared with the scGOS/lcFOS group (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Infant formulae appear to be clinically safe and effective on infant microbiota. They minimize the alteration of faecal microbiota after cessation of breast-feeding and promote bifidobacteria proportions, with a stronger effect when acidic oligosaccharides are present.
Magne
Fabien
F
Laboratoire de Biologie EA 3199, Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers, Paris, France. fabien.magne@cnam.fr
Hachelaf
Wahiba
W
Suau
Antonia
A
Boudraa
Ghazalia
G
Bouziane-Nedjadi
Karim
K
Rigottier-Gois
Lionel
L
Touhami
Mahmoud
M
Desjeux
Jehan-François
JF
Pochart
Philippe
P
D001439:Bacteroides / Q000254:growth & development; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000254:growth & development*; D003013:Clostridium / Q000254:growth & development; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D009844:Oligosaccharides