Nestlé has unveiled Sinergity, a blend that combines a probiotic with six human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) to support age-adapted infant development.

For years, Nestlé has been understanding the the composition of various nutrients and bioactives that are present in breastmilk such as proteins and HMOs.

The company has reported how a specific strain (B. infantis LMG11588) has the ability to efficiently absorb and metabolise HMOs, producing key beneficial compounds, in addition to the direct benefits already provided by the HMOs and the probiotic individually.

Nestlé says that the combination of these elements creates a “synergistic effect,” resulting in a dominance of bifidobacteria which can lead to a more favourable gut environment and stronger immunity in infants.

Building on its expertise, Nestlé has developed the new Sinergity proprietary blend containing an infant-specific probiotic strain along with a blend of HMOs.

As research shows that the composition of HMOs in breastmilk changes during the lactation period, products containing the new blend have varying levels of six different HMOs to meet the specific needs of infants according to age.

Laurent Alsteens, global head of early childhood nutrition at Nestlé, said: “We are absolutely committed to engaging in groundbreaking research and are working with healthcare professionals to contribute to optimal nutrition in early childhood through clinically tested solutions that provide the essential nutrients for babies that cannot be exclusively or who are only partially breastfed. In this way, we can help advance breakthrough nutritional solutions for infants with ingredient blends to support age-appropriate growth, digestive health, bone, muscle and cognitive development and the immune system.”

Isabelle Bureau-Franz, head of Nestlé’s R&D for nutrition, added: “Thanks to our continuous scientific advancements, we have discovered the important benefits of combining our proprietary B. infantis probiotic with a blend of six HMOs. Leveraging our innovation expertise, we developed this breakthrough solution by successfully translating the new scientific findings, scaling-up the production of the probiotic and carefully adapting the levels of six HMOs according to age.”

The new blend has been launched in Hong Kong, with rollout Latin America expected towards the end of the year and in Europe early next year.

The news follows the announcement earlier this week that Nestlé is to shut down its infant formula facility and co-located R&D centre in County Limerick, Ireland, stating that “external trends” have impacted the demand for infant nutrition products in Greater China. Also this week, the company unveiled its first “affordable and nutritious” instant powder in Central and West Africa, combining milk and locally sourced soy, containing essential nutrients such as protein and fibre and providing a source of iron and calcium.