Two human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) ingredients from Dsm-Firmenich (Kaiseraugst, Switzerland) are now approved for infant nutrition in China. The ingredients are GlyCare 2’-fucosyllactose (2’-FL) and GlyCare lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT).

“This approval is a significant milestone as it will create new opportunities for innovation in the field of early-life nutrition and make the unique benefits of HMOs accessible to infants and young children in China,” the firm’s press release states.

The approval means that 2’-FL HMO can be included as an ingredient in infant formula, formula for elder infants and young children, infant formula for special medical purposes, and formulated milk powder, at usage levels between 0.7 and 2.4 g/L. Meanwhile, LNnT can be used in those same applications at a dose of 0.2-0.6 g/L.

The company adds that 2’-FL and LNnT are currently the only two HMO ingredients approved in the Chinese market. “HMOs are the next important ingredient for bringing the composition of infant formula closer to breast milk, the gold standard of infant nutrition, and this approval ensures that all infants in China now have access to this important nutrient,” said James Young, vice president of early life nutrition at Dsm-Firmenich, in a press release.