title: Lipid-based Nutrient Supplements Do Not Affect Gut Bifidobacterium Microbiota in Malawian Infants: A Randomized Trial.
abstract: The aim of the study was to assess the effect of nutritional supplementation with lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS) and corn-soy blend flour on Bifidobacterium and Staphylococcus aureus gut microbiota composition in Malawian infants. In addition, the microbiota changes over time were characterized in the study infants.
  
  
  
  Healthy 6-month-old Malawian infants were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 intervention schemes for a 6-month period. Infants in the control group were not provided with any supplementary food. Infants in other 3 groups received either micronutrient-fortified corn-soy blend, micronutrient-fortified LNS with milk protein base, or micronutrient-fortified LNS with soy protein base between 6 and 12 months of age. Fecal bifidobacteria and S aureus gut microbiota at 6 and 12 months of age were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction method.
  
  
  
  There was no difference in change in bacterial prevalence or counts between the intervention groups during the 6-month study period. When looking at the total study population, higher counts of total bacteria (P = 0.028), Bifidobacterium genus (P = 0.027), B catenulatum (P = 0.031), and lower counts of B infantis (P < 0.001), B lactis (P < 0.001), B longum (P < 0.001), and S aureus (P < 0.001) were detected in the children's stools at 12 months rather than at 6 months of age.
  
  
  
  The dietary supplementation did not have an effect on the Bifidobacterium and S aureus microbiota composition of the study infants. The fecal bifidobacterial diversity of the infants, however, changed toward a more adult-like microbiota profile within the observed time.
authors.affiliation: *Food Chemistry and Food Development, Department of Biochemistry †Functional Foods Forum, University of Turku, Turku ‡Centre for Child Health Research, University of Tampere School of Medicine and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland §Department of Public Health, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi ¶Centre for Child Health Research and Department of Paediatrics, University of Tampere School of Medicine and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Juhani
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aakko
authors.forename: Łukasz
authors.initials: Ł
authors.lastname: Grześkowiak
authors.forename: Tiia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Asukas
authors.forename: Eerika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Päivänsäde
authors.forename: Kirsi-Maarit
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Lehto
authors.forename: Yue-Mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mangani
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maleta
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ashorn
authors.forename: Seppo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salminen
mesh_terms: D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004041:Dietary Fats; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005527:Food, Fortified; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D008295:Malawi; D008297:Male; D018977:Micronutrients; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D018977:Micronutrients