Beyond formula: Infant nutrition turns to convenient probiotic delivery formats

24 May 2021 --- Infant nutrition has expanded far beyond formula, with offerings like probiotic drops and powders coming to the fore. NutritionInsight continues its conversation with industry experts from Fonterra, Lallemand Health Solutions, Arla Foods Ingredients and Chr. Hansen about the importance of convenience.

“The interest in products beyond formulas is growing. In China, for example, there is an interest in supplementary foods and snacks for babies, toddlers and young children,” says Rina van Hekezen, technical account manager at Fonterra.

Parents see this type of product as a potential carrier for ingredients supporting health rather than a source of energy or snack.

Additionally, health supplements for babies are increasingly interesting for parents. Van Hekezen observes that in China, parents are more aware of ingredients that support their children’s health and are interested in this type of product. 

“Parents are particularly interested in supplementary foods and supplements that have a positive effect on immunity, like lactoferrin. In higher-income groups, cognition is also an important topic. Combining more ingredients in supplementary foods to support the health claim can be found now, like in a combination of several immunity-enhancing ingredients, for example,” she says. Parents are particularly interested in supplementary foods and supplements that have a positive effect on immunity.

Probiotic innovation
One key area for new delivery formats is within probiotics. This is a specialty for Chr. Hansen, which has been manufacturing probiotic food supplements for infants for decades. Since 2018, it has also supplied probiotic supplements for vulnerable preterm infants.

“Overall, the market for infant supplements is growing – even at a rapid pace in some regions. We generally experience strong interest in our infant supplements as consumer awareness grows and the demand for clinically founded infant supplements increases,” says Daniel Hovel Hansen, head of infant, children and women’s health at Chr. Hansen.

He continues that convenience formats that enhance easy preparation are especially popular in China and Europe. “We also see formats for easy consumption by toddlers or children so they can feed themselves.”

Morgane Maillard, marketing group manager and product manager of Lallemand Health Solutions, also emphasizes the importance of convenience.

“Due to this, sachets and sticks are the leading formats for infant probiotics. Powder follows as well as probiotic drops,” she states. 

Innova Market Insights also reports that liquid is both the most popular and fastest-growing format for children’s supplements launched globally between 2016 and 2020. Other common options are powders, gummies and chews. 

Packaging considerations
When looking to market probiotic supplements for babies and infants, delivery forms and packaging are a key element. 

“To ensure both proper delivery to babies and young children, as well as proper survival of the bacteria during the complete shelf life of the finished products, manufacturers can propose ready-to-market probiotic formulations in different convenient and leading formats. These include bulk powder in sachets or sticks ready to be added in milk and drops,” explains Maillard. 

For children with gut discomfort, such as occasional diarrhea, a dual-chamber sachet can combine probiotics with a rehydration salt, just to name one combination. Additional ingredients such as vitamin D, HMO, FOS and inulin can create positive interactions with certain probiotic strains, she further details. Sachets and sticks are the leading formats for infant probiotics.

Supplementing breast milk
Another area of exploration for infant nutrition is complementary foods and toddler foods, which are added to diets as a supplement to breast milk.

Jakob Madsen Pedersen, head of global sales at Arla Foods Ingredients’ pediatric business unit, explains that this typically happens during the period between four to six months and 18 to 24 months of age. 

“Increasing awareness of the importance of this stage for good nutrition and healthy development is driving the market growth. Whey ingredients can help brands stand out in the space because of the improved nutritional profile they offer,” he argues.

In this category, which is adjacent to traditional infant milk powder, many new food supplements are being developed. Some are based on proteins, probiotics, fibers and carbohydrates, which can be added to improve the nutritional and functional profile of the food matrix. 

Even within the traditional infant formula sector, Pedersen sees new delivery formats. In addition to powder, liquid and ready-to-drink formats, there are now pre-measured milk powder tablets. “This format has been common in Japan for several years and has now arrived in Europe.”

In March, Danone launched formula milk in pre-measured tab formats in the UK following a partnership with Japanese food manufacturer Meiji.

By Katherine Durrell