26 Oct 2023 — Nestlé has launched its new early-life nutrition formula, Sinergity. It’s a blend that incorporates a probiotic along with six human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), designed to foster tailored infant development.

Probiotics play a crucial role in nurturing the gut microbiome and enhancing immunity. This is especially vital in infant development. 

Likewise, HMOs, a vital element in breast milk, aid in the progression of intestinal microbiota and bolster the immune system as the child grows. 

“Sinergity is a proprietary blend of age-adapted six HMO and a specific Nestlé proprietary probiotic called B. Infantis LMG11588. In mothers’ milk, HMO profiles change with the time of lactation to suit the needs of the infant,” a Nestlé spokesperson, tells Nutrition Insight. 

“We developed our product to mimic these changes by adapting the levels of the six HMOs to the age of the infant. The product also contains proteins, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals.”

The blend is designed for stages one to four of infancy: from four months to over 12 months. 

“The benefits of Sinergity include digestive and immune health, bone and muscle development, age-appropriate growth, and cognitive development, all of which contribute to a child’s overall health and well-being both in the short and long-term.” HMOs are a vital element of breastmilk that promotes gut health and strengthens the child’s immunity.

Infant gut health and immunity 
Nestlé has been studying the composition of various nutrients and bioactives that are present in breast milk, such as proteins and HMOs, for years. Through this exploration, the company’s scientific team has discovered how a specific strain, B. infantis LMG11588, has the ability to efficiently absorb and metabolize HMOs, thereby producing key beneficial compounds. 

“This new innovation is part of our efforts to continue strengthening our understanding of breastmilk through research. Our research has revealed the mechanism of action of how this specific probiotic strain B.Infantis can further unlock the beneficial effects of the HMOs,” details the spokesperson. 

“This work helps to advance the scientific field and inform the continuous development of science-based nutrition solutions for infants. We also actively share the outcomes of our research with healthcare professionals worldwide.”

Laurent Alsteens, global head of early childhood nutrition at Nestlé, says: “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 breastfed exclusively or who are only partially breastfed.”

Age-specific formula
According to Nestlé research, the composition of HMOs in breast milk changes during the lactation period. For this reason, the Sinergity proprietary blend with infant-specific probiotic strain also includes six varying levels of HMOs.According to Nestlé research, the composition of HMOs in breast milk changes during the lactation period.

“Nestlé is a pioneer in the R&D of early-life science-based solutions. We have discovered the important benefits of combining our proprietary B. infantis probiotic with a blend of six HMOs,” says Isabelle Bureau-Franz, head of Nestlé’s R&D for Nutrition.

“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 spokesperson further adds that the recommendation that parents and caregivers consult their healthcare practitioner for feeding advice. 

Sinergity was developed at the Nestlé R&D Center for Nutrition in Konolfingen and the Nestlé Research in Lausanne, both in Switzerland and alongside its factory in Biessenhofen, Germany.

The product has already been launched in Hong Kong and it is set to be introduced to the Latin American market at the end of this year and in Europe early next year under the NAN Supreme pro brand.

Last year, Nestlé’s scientific team discovered new bacteria in the gut of toddlers transitioning from infancy to early childhood, which they argued would enable the development of next-generation nutritional solutions and probiotics to support growth and development. 

The company also recently reported on violations of its policy to implement the WHO International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, which includes recommendations on the appropriate stage of infant development for formula consumption.

By Milana Nikolova 

This feature is provided by Food Ingredients First’s sister website, Nutrition Insight.

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