Béatrice Guillaume-Grabisch, executive vice president and Group WHO Code Ombudsperson, said: “Compliance is about values, integrity and trust, which are crucial for building a successful and long-lasting organization. Looking to the future, we remain focused on strengthening our compliance measures through collaboration with our direct partners, including those in e-commerce.”

Compliance with the Policy For Implementing the WHO Code (pdf, 5Mb) is mandatory. The report published today highlights the firm and swift actions taken when instances of non-compliance are confirmed, including disciplinary measures. Nestlé also encourages its employees and external stakeholders to share their concerns regarding its compliance anonymously on its Speak Up platform without the concern of retaliation.

This transparent reporting is integral to Nestlé’s desire to make a significant and widespread contribution to the health and well-being of infants and young children, while upholding the highest possible standards in the marketing of infant formula.

Nestlé remains steadfast in protecting, promoting, and supporting exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, followed by the introduction of appropriate complementary foods. The company takes this very seriously, and to that end, it has strengthened its Policy for Implementing the WHO Code. Nestlé’s global policy prohibits the promotion of infant formula intended for babies less than 6 months in all countries as a minimum. Furthermore, in more than 160 countries, the company applies stricter rules and does not promote formula for babies aged 0-12 months as a minimum.

The post Upholding responsible marketing: Nestlé Leading the Way report appeared first on Dairy Industries International.

Overall, organic growth reached 7.2%, with pricing of 7.5% and real internal growth (RIG) of -0.3%. Growth was broad-based across geographies and categories. Total reported sales were CHF93 billion, a decrease of 1.5% (FY-2022: CHF94.4 billion). The underlying trading operating profit (UTOP) margin was 17.3%, increasing by 20 basis points on a reported basis and by 40 basis points in constant currency. The trading operating profit (TOP) margin was 15.6%, increasing by 160 basis points.

As for 2024, the company says, “We expect organic sales growth around 4% and a moderate increase in the underlying trading operating profit margin. Underlying earnings per share in constant currency is expected to increase between 6% and 10%.” Further, in 2025, the mid-term targets are “fully confirmed, with mid single-digit organic sales growth and an underlying trading operating profit margin range of 17.5% to 18.5% by 2025. Underlying earnings per share in constant currency should increase to between 6% and 10%.

Mark Schneider, Nestlé CEO, comments, “Unprecedented inflation over the last two years has increased pressure on many consumers and impacted demand for food and beverage products. In this challenging context, we delivered strong organic growth and solid margin improvement with increased marketing and other growth investments. Our free cash flow generation returned to historical levels.

“Looking to 2024, we are prioritizing volume- and mix-led growth with increased brand support, as we enhance value for consumers through active innovation and renovation, premiumisation, affordability and more nutritious options. We will continue to focus capital allocation on our fast-growing billionaire brands, which enables us to deliver dependable growth while enhancing brand loyalty.

“To drive market share gains, our key priorities are delighting consumers through differentiated offerings and focusing on superior execution. We are confident that we have the right strategy, portfolio and capabilities to deliver on our 2025 targets.”

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The new system will use heat pumps with spray dryers, which is a new method for both companies. In addition to the ammonia heat pump for the spray dryer, GEA is providing a second heat pump that supplies hot water at 85°C to heat the entire production line and run the various dehydration processes, as well as cold water at 1.5°C to air-condition the factory.

All this is estimated to reduce carbon emissions and energy for steam production significantly.

Here at Dairy Industries International, we will also be looking at new technologies for the sector, at the International Cheese and Dairy Expo, set for 27 June in Stafford, UK. Along with the Society of Dairy Technology Symposium and Dinner on 26 June and the ICDA Awards and networking lunch, it promises to be a solid two days of all things dairy in the UK. Don’t miss it! Please contact Samantha Bull for ways to get involved, ranging from exhibiting to speaking: sam@bellpublishing.com.

• Suzanne Christiansen, editor, Dairy Industries International.
  Keep in touch via email: suzanne@bellpublishing.com
  Twitter: @dairyindustries or LinkedIn: Dairy Industries International magazine

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In response to increased demand for its Althera and Alfare infant formula brands, Nestlé is currently doubling production capacity at the Nunspeet plant with an additional processing line. For the first time, Nestlé will be using a GEA heat recovery system that is fed by exhaust air from the spray drying plant and, in turn, provides 80°C hot water for its operation. As part of the project, GEA will also equip the complete wet processing technology, which supplies the Nestlé spray drying line with the prepared milk. Installation of the process technology and heat supply system is planned for this year. The plant will go into operation in 2025.

Recovering waste heat from spray dryer to reduce energy consumption

Nestlé’s aim with the investment project is not only to increase capacity, but also to advance its sustainability agenda by reducing carbon emissions, dust emissions and water demand. Exploiting renewable heat energy is a focus of the company’s climate strategy.

“The new plant in Nunspeet will also serve as a Group-wide demonstrator for future-oriented solutions to minimize energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in milk powder production. We are already familiar with heat pumps in various production processes. But using them with spray dryers, the most energy-intensive part of the process, is something new for us. The GEA system enables us to reduce the plant’s steam consumption by 75%,” explains Gerben Koopmans, Engineering Manager at Nestlé. For these reasons, the project is executed with subsidy of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate.

Integrating process and heating/cooling technology

“Our integrated solutions combining process technology with heating and cooling technology set a new benchmark in milk powder production, because fusing the two disciplines in production planning and design implementation significantly reduces the plant’s energy consumption and carbon footprint,” says Ronald Hofland, GEA sales manager.

In addition to the ammonia heat pump for the spray dryer, GEA is providing a second heat pump that supplies hot water at 85°C to heat the entire production line and run the various dehydration processes, as well as cold water at 1.5°C to air-condition the factory. GEA’s process technology for the wet line includes state-of-the-art evaporators, inline formula mixers, a homogenizer, high-pressure and high-shear pumps, heat exchangers, valves, as well as all other connecting components and pipework. The heat pump system will provide this process technology with hot and cold water for maximum energy efficiency in operation.

The post GEA helps Nestlé cut steam consumption by 75% at its new infant formula plant appeared first on Dairy Industries International.

As of 4 June 2023, Chr Hansen’s HMO 6’-Sialyllactose sodium salt (6’-SL), marketed under the trademark MyOli 6’-SL HMO, is authorised for the EU market and under proprietary protection for five years. This EU authorisation includes the highest use level for 6’-SL in infant formula and follow-on-formula (0.7g/L) in the EU.

Benefits attributed to 6′-SL HMO are, among others, reducing the risk of adhesion of harmful bacteria and their proteins and support to the brain development in infants, by supplying sialic acid, an essential building block for neurons.

Chr Hansen now has EU authorisation for all five HMOs in its MyOli 5 HMO Mix. The 5 HMO mix contains 2’-FL, 3-FL, LNT, 3’-SL and 6’-SL and is approved for infant formula and follow-on- formula. All these five HMOs are approved at the highest use levels in the industry.

“The fact that Chr Hansen MyOli 5 HMO Mix is now approved for use in the EU at the highest use levels is an important milestone. It means that Chr Hansen can now supply a blend of five HMOs bringing infant nutrition solutions closer to breast milk, to the benefit of infants who cannot be breastfed for various reasons. The European approval is also an important step towards using HMOs at natural concentration levels in infant formula and follow-on formula,” says Jesper Sig Mathiasen, senior vice president, Chr Hansen HMO.

HMOs are the third most abundant solid component of breast milk and are known in many different variations. The benefits stem from the structural diversity of HMOs.

The post Chr Hansen secures EU approval for 6’-HMO appeared first on Dairy Industries International.

One of the most effective ways to create formulas that are lower in protein but high in nutritional quality is to formulate with alpha-lactalbumin (alpha). Rich in essential amino acids and high in other amino acids, such as cysteine, it is the most abundant whey protein in human milk², but standard formula contains considerably lower levels.

Arla Foods Ingredients’ newest whey protein isolate, Lacprodan Alpha-50, presents a new solution to this challenge, the company says. Alpha-lactalbumin accounts for a minimum of 90% of its protein content, which means smaller dosages can be used to reach a level similar to that of human milk.

The new product’s high level of alpha-lactalbumin allows a high degree of formulation freedom. For example, it can be combined with other functional ingredients, such as Lacprodan MFGM-10, a milk fat globule membrane ingredient which contains compounds such as phospholipids, sphingomyelin and gangliosides.

Lone Strøm, head of paediatric sales development at Arla Foods Ingredients, says, “Lacprodan Alpha-50 offers solutions to two big challenges facing formula manufacturers. Its high alpha-lactalbumin content allows the creation of products that are lower in protein, demand for which is growing because of concerns about obesity. And because it delivers considerable amounts of essential amino acids, even at a low dosage, it is easily combined with other ingredients that are sought after in formula.”

The new product is the latest addition to Arla Foods Ingredients’ alpha range. Other products include Lacprodan Alpha-06, a whey protein concentrate that is high in alpha-lactalbumin, and Lacprodan Alpha-10, which is supported by both clinical documentation³ and 25 years of market use.

The latest clinical research on alpha-lactalbumin will be explored in a virtual seminar, Discover the wonders of Alpha, at the end of September.

¹ Koletzko et al, 2009, Weber et al, 2014, Totzauer et al, 2022

² Lönnerdal et al, 2017

³ Sandström et al 2008; Nilsson et al 2023

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Published in The British Medical Journal (BMJ), the study included an analysis of the health and nutrition claims made on infant formula products in 15 countries, and the validity of the evidence used to support them.

More than 750 products were assessed that made 31 different types of health claims. The most common assertions were benefits of brain development, immunity, and growth in young infants, and most claims were backed by little or no high quality scientific evidence, according to the report.

“Health and nutrition claims about infant formula are controversial because they can enhance the perceived benefits of formula over breastfeeding and thereby undermine breastfeeding,” the researchers said, noting that human breast milk is the optimal source of infant nutrition.

Popular ingredients, weak evidence, trial bias, and industry affiliation

To highlight the benefits promised, the researchers said the products they studied tended to cite popular ingredients such as long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics, and hydrolysed protein.

The study found that of the products with at least one health claim, 74% did not provide any scientific reference to support the claim and 26% did provide support. However, not all references were equal. Some linked back to findings from clinical trials, but many others only linked back to reviews, opinion pieces, or other types of unscientific research.

Additionally, 90% of the claims that cited registered clinical trials carried a high risk of bias. And 88% of the registered trials were authored by people who either “received formula industry funding or were directly affiliated with industry,” the researchers said.

“Despite previous attempts to change the landscape of infant formula marketing undertaken by multiple reputable organisations, […] progress in regulating infant formula claims is slow,” they said.

“Although advances have been made in implementing mandatory compositional and information requirements for infant formula, transparency is still lacking about health and nutrition claims linked to infant formula.”

The researchers said that the findings of the study “strengthen [their] previous call for a ban on health and nutrition claims for breast milk substitutes.”

‘Exploitative’ formula marketing: Calls for greater regulation

This report adds to a growing list of concerns about the lack of regulation in the infant nutrition industry. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently assessed the impact of infant formula marketing strategies around the world.

A new three-paper series published in The Lancet also researched the “exploitative” formula marketing tactics driven by political interference and industry lobbying that “seriously jeopardizes the health and rights of women and children.”

“It is clear that most parents are exposed to formula marketing during pregnancy or the postnatal period and are often misled by claims,” the authors of the BMJ study said.

“We have previously suggested that health and nutrition claims for products regarded as breast milk substitutes should not be permitted. These products are so important for the infants who need them, and any true advances in breast milk substitute composition should be made available to all infants receiving relevant products,” they said.

Much of the recent research recommends greater support for breastfeeding where possible, including through improvements to healthcare and social protection systems like guaranteed paid maternity leave.

“We have identified a high prevalence of claims on infant formula products in multiple countries that seem to have little or no scientific substantiation,” the BMJ researchers concluded.

“These findings support calls for a revised regulatory framework for breast milk substitutes to better protect consumers and avoid the harms associated with aggressive marketing of such products.”

The post Study reveals unfounded health claims on most infant formulas appeared first on Dairy Industries International.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published an opinion that bovine milk osteopontin (OPN) is safe for use in infant formula (IF), follow-on formula and ready-to-eat dairy-based meals for children.

When this process is complete, Lacprodan OPN-10 will become Arla Foods Ingredients’ first product for infant nutrition approved under the new Novel Food Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. Products containing Lacprodan OPN-10 will be authorised for sale in Europe towards the end of 2022 or early 2023.

Osteopontin is a whey protein, which is a heavily phosphorylated, acidic glycoprotein with strong calcium-binding properties. Significant amounts of this protein have been identified in human milk, while smaller quantities are present in bovine milk. This means that – to date – infant formulas have had lower osteopontin content than human breast milk.

Anders Steen Jørgensen, director pediatric at Arla Foods Ingredients says, “We’re delighted by this decision, which is a significant step towards achieving Novel Food approval. It’s a strong signal of trustworthiness in this new ingredient for infant milk formula, and opens up new opportunities for formula manufacturers. This is the result of more than five years of hard work from our R&D department, Early Life Nutrition Science teams and regulatory teams. Lacprodan OPN-10 is a fantastic addition to our infant nutrition portfolio and continues our record of being first to market with products in this sector.”

With Lacprodan OPN-10, Arla Foods Ingredients can now help infant formula manufacturers to develop products containing osteopontin in its purest form to date. Arla Foods Ingredients holds several patents for the production and application of osteopontin.

About Novel Food

The European Commission defines Novel Food as food that had not been consumed to a significant degree by humans in the EU before 15 May 1997, when the first regulation on Novel Food came into force.

It can be applied to newly developed, innovative food, food produced using new technologies and production processes, as well as food which is or has been traditionally eaten outside of the EU.

View the EFSA opinion:
​https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.2903/j.efsa.2022.7137

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I will be blunt here. The marketing of formula towards me as an expectant and new mother did not influence my decision to largely bottle-feed my now giant 14-year-old. And, I have never heard of anyone in the NHS recommending a particular brand of formula, as “more than one third of women surveyed said a health worker had done” in the survey. This may not be the case in the other countries surveyed, which ranged from Vietnam to China, Mexico and Nigeria.

However, I did give breast feeding a go. That being said, support was somewhat minimal, and I know the midwives and health visitors were pressed for time anyway. My mother, who had her children in the 1960s, was also confused by my attempts to breast feed. In the end, it was easier for all if the baby was bottle fed.

I applaud the WHO’s idea that governments, health workers and the baby food industry should be investing in policies and programmes to support breastfeeding, including adequate paid parental leave in line with international standards, and ensuring high quality breastfeeding support. The thing is investing – I always find it alarming how little governments seem to want to spend on the future taxpayers of their countries.

Another recommendation, banning health workers from accepting sponsorship from companies that market foods for infants and young children for scholarships, awards, grants, meetings or events, may be more problematic in countries where there is less money available for such things from governments. If the only way to get antenatal information across is provided by a company, then perhaps a look at what kind of branding is allowable might also be considered.

At the end of the day, companies have to ensure that they tread the line between marketing, and over-marketing, to parents who need information rather than a hard sell. However, it is not their sole responsibility to do so. That being said, a look at what’s best for the baby, and not just the bottom line, would be beneficial to us all in the long run.

• Suzanne Christiansen, editor, Dairy Industries International.
  Keep in touch via email: suzanne@bellpublishing.com
  Twitter: @dairyindustries or LinkedIn: Dairy Industries International magazine.

The post Infant formula in shades of grey appeared first on Dairy Industries International.

The report, “How marketing of formula milk influences our decisions on infant feeding”, draws on interviews with parents, pregnant women and health workers in eight countries. It uncovers systematic and unethical marketing strategies used by the formula milk industry – now worth a staggering US$55 billion – to influence parents’ infant feeding decisions.

The report finds that industry marketing techniques include unregulated and invasive online targeting; sponsored advice networks and helplines; promotions and free gifts; and practices to influence training and recommendations among health workers. The messages that parents and health workers receive are often misleading, scientifically unsubstantiated, and violate the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (the Code) – a landmark public health agreement passed by the World Health Assembly in 1981 to protect mothers from aggressive marketing practices by the baby food industry.

“This report shows very clearly that formula milk marketing remains unacceptably pervasive, misleading and aggressive,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general. “Regulations on exploitative marketing must be urgently adopted and enforced to protect children’s health.”

According to the report – which surveyed 8,500 parents and pregnant women, and 300 health workers in cities across Bangladesh, China, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, the United Kingdom and Viet Nam – exposure to formula milk marketing reaches 84% of all women surveyed in the United Kingdom; 92% of women surveyed in Viet Nam and 97% of women surveyed in China, increasing their likelihood of choosing formula feeding.

“False and misleading messages about formula feeding are a substantial barrier to breastfeeding, which we know is best for babies and mothers,” said UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell. “We need robust policies, legislation and investments in breastfeeding to ensure that women are protected from unethical marketing practices, and have access to the information and support they need to raise their families.”

Across all countries included in the survey, women expressed a strong desire to breastfeed exclusively, ranging from 49% of women in Morocco to 98% in Bangladesh. Yet the report details how a sustained flow of misleading marketing messages is reinforcing myths about breastfeeding and breast milk, and undermining women’s confidence in their ability to breastfeed successfully. These myths include the necessity of formula in the first days after birth, the inadequacy of breast milk for infant nutrition, that specific infant formula ingredients are proven to improve child development or immunity, the perception that formula keeps infants fuller for longer, and that the quality of breast milk declines with time.

Breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, followed by exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continued breastfeeding for up to two years or beyond, offers a powerful line of defense against all forms of child malnutrition, including wasting and obesity. Breastfeeding also acts as babies’ first vaccine, protecting them against many common childhood illnesses. It also reduces women’s future risk of diabetes, obesity and some forms of cancer. Yet globally, only 44% of babies less than six months old are exclusively breastfed. Global breastfeeding rates have increased very little in the past two decades, while sales of formula milk have more than doubled in roughly the same time.

Alarmingly, the report notes that large numbers of health workers in all countries had been approached by the baby feeding industry to influence their recommendations to new mothers through promotional gifts, free samples, funding for research, paid meetings, events and conferences, and even commissions from sales, directly impacting parents’ feeding choices. More than one third of women surveyed said a health worker had recommended a specific brand of formula to them.

To address these challenges, WHO, UNICEF and partners are calling on governments, health workers, and the baby food industry to end exploitative formula milk marketing and fully implement and abide by the Code requirements. This includes:

• Passing, monitoring and enforcing laws to prevent the promotion of formula milk, in line with the International Code, including prohibiting nutrition and health claims made by the formula milk industry.
• Investing in policies and programmes to support breastfeeding, including adequate paid parental leave in line with international standards, and ensuring high quality breastfeeding support.
• Requesting industry to publicly commit to full compliance with the Code and subsequent World Health Assembly resolutions globally.
• Banning health workers from accepting sponsorship from companies that market foods for infants and young children for scholarships, awards, grants, meetings or events.

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Arla Foods Ingredients will share its expertise with brand owners and will produce organic, premium customised infant formulas at its Arinco plant in Videbaek, Denmark. Private label options will be available both as finished formulas and base powders.

Meanwhile, the company has announced that the patented technology will carry the new name ‘ORIGIN by Arla Foods Ingredients.’

Organic products are leading growth in the global infant formula market and more than 15% of launches in the last three years have featured organic claims.¹ The sector is expected to grow by 10% over the next five years,² but with demand for organic whey and lactose rapidly outpacing supply, insufficient availability of infant grade organic raw materials has – to date – threatened to hold back growth.

ORIGIN by Arla Foods Ingredients enables manufacturers in the early life nutrition sectors to easily bypass organic whey shortages as Arla Foods Ingredients can keep up with demand in this market by drawing on an unconstrained supply of milk from Arla’s organic farms, the largest organic milk pool in the world.³

Steen Lyck, commercial director, Child Nutrition Manufacturing at Arla Foods Ingredients, said: “ORIGIN by Arla Foods Ingredients is a significant step forward for infant formula brand owners. With our patented technology that obtains ingredients from fresh, organic milk at consistently higher quality, infant formula brand owners can finally capture the exciting potential of premium organic infant formula. In terms of certifications, our organic infant formula already has EU and Chinese organic approvals.”

Patented “milk-to-can” technology

ORIGIN by Arla Foods Ingredients is a patented process which extracts proteins directly from fresh milk using filtration technology. This “milk-to-can” approach is based on a simple, fully integrated process at one dedicated production site with no use of additives in the milk streams, reducing production complexity and time from milk to can. The breakthrough technology was first introduced in November 2021.

Henrik Andersen, CEO of Arla Foods Ingredients, said: “As science-based innovators we are driven to invent and reinvent our processes to ensure we have the best possible products available and continue to lead the way in whey.

“Traditional cheesemaking demands significant quantities of organic raw milk to produce the volumes of whey needed to meet demand. Now that we’re not reliant on this, we can significantly increase production. And because all the milk we use comes from just a few Arla farms, we’re able to offer greater clarity around provenance.”

Arla Foods Ingredients launched its first organic ingredient, MicelPure, in August 2020. The launch of the organic micellar casein isolate marked the start of the company’s long-term strategy of filling the gap in the market for natural, organic protein ingredients.

The company will continue its focus on the organic sector in 2022 and it will reveal details about several projects throughout the year.

¹ Trends in Infant Milk, Innova Market Insights, 2021 (2018 to Q1, 2021)
² Euromonitor International
³ Organic milk production and organic dairies in 2019, Danish Agriculture and Food Council

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GEA MSD spray dryer and TVR (thermal vapour recompression) evaporator systems tailored to the exact plant requirements will be instrumental to process the infant formula with precise nutritional and physical characteristics in a safe and reproducible way. GEA equipment is recognised worldwide for demonstrating the rigorous and exacting levels of hygiene and product safety required for producing dairy-based nutritional powders, including infant formula.

Established in 2015 and headquartered in Istanbul, Gönenli Süt is one of Turkey’s major contract dairy manufacturers. The firm’s existing plant, in Balikesir, processes 800 tonnes per day of raw milk into cheese, UHT- (ultra-high temperature) and ESL- (extended shelf-life) milk, for major global brands and for discount markets.

Besides many kinds of dairy products, Gönenli also focuses on high technology nutrition products and plant-based milks in cooperation with well-known multinationals. Gönenli is the first dairy company in Turkey approved for enteral nutrition products manufacturing and pioneered local production for two of the existing three key multinationals dominating the Turkish market.

Rapid growth in both domestic and international milk markets has meant that the existing plant could no longer meet demand. Thus, in 2019 Gönenli made the decision to expand and construct a new facility at the new site secured in Akhisar. The new facility will expand Gönenli’s capacity for processing UHT- and ESL-milk for existing and new customers around the world. For this part of the plant, GEA is supplying separators and a MVR1 (mechanical vapor recompression) evaporator (30,000 kg/h).

The Akhisar facility will home as well the first domestic production of infant nutritional formula. Zeki Sözen, president of Gönenli Dairy, states: “Infant formula production is critical for Turkey because it is all imported. While self-sufficiency for food is major concern for many nations, one can easily imagine the importance of infant formula.”

GEA has worked with Gönenli since 2016, providing separator technology and equipment for UHT- and ESL-milk process lines at the Balikesir plant. In June 2021, GEA won the contract to design, configure and supply the infant milk powder processing part of the new plant at Akhisar. “Teamwork and customer confidence in GEA’s technology helped to achieve this important agreement” stated Serdar Gez, managing director of GEA Turkey.

Zeki Sözen complements: “When it comes to the production of infant milk formula, where product safety and hygiene are of great importance, GEA is the company we trust. GEA has necessary experience and many times repeated its success in this field – major key global players work together with GEA. We worked with GEA Turkey on many processing lines in the past which all ended with satisfaction. We believe this project will also be a success story and milestone for Turkish dairy industry for not only infant formula, but also many nutrition products manufacturing.”

GEA is world-renowned for its expertise and experience in the field of infant nutritional formula processing, and over the last 20 years the company has configured more than 100 plants around the world. Nutritional formulas are commonly produced as agglomerated powders, and the drying process is critical to generating a final product that retains precisely defined nutritional composition and physical properties. GEA has applied state-of-the-art design processes to develop spray drying technology that can be configured to meet the specific requirements of each type of nutritional dairy powder. The new Gönenli Süt plant will include an MSD 500 GEA spray dryer for infant milk formula, with a capacity greater than 2,000 kg/h of powder, and one falling film evaporator 2TVR1 (8,000 kg/h).

The company has also selected GEA ‘Cyclone Extra Efficiency’ (CEE) cyclone equipment, which offers high powder separation efficiency, higher yield and lower emissions, to reduce the risk of smearing, cut attrition rates and potentially improve powder size and characteristics. Calculations made by GEA showed that Gönenli Süt could reduce powder loss by 33 tons/year by selecting the CEE.

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Lacprodan MFGM-10 was the first MFGM (milk fat globule membrane) ingredient for the global infant formula market. It is rich in phospholipids and gangliosides.

Now Arla Foods Ingredients has made MFGM available in a dry-blend option – Lacprodan Premium MFGM-10. Dry-blending is a process that allows manufacturers to reduce energy usage and production costs. It also provides greater flexibility to produce more recipes from one base powder.

Furthermore, the dry-blending process requires particularly high microbiological compliance throughout the entire batch of the ingredient, which ensures consistent quality and product safety. This also means Lacprodan Premium MFGM-10 is free from Cronobacter sakazakii, a bacterium that can cause serious infections in infants.

Lacprodan Premium MFGM-10 is the latest Arla Foods Ingredients product to be offered in dry-blend form. Earlier this year Lacprodan Premium ALPHA-10, a dry-blend alpha-lactalbumin ingredient, was launched. Arla Foods Ingredients also offers a dry-blend lactose which has helped manufacturers significantly reduce their energy usage. In November 2020, the company estimated total CO₂ savings from customers using it to be as high as 24,400 tonnes.

Niels Joakim Karlsen, pediatric sales development manager at Arla Foods Ingredients, said: “MFGM is a key ingredient for the global formula market. By offering Lacprodan MFGM-10 in a dry blend form, we’re combining the clinically proven benefits of this ingredient with opportunities to reduce energy usage and production costs while ensuring high quality and product safety.”

About MFGM

MFGM (milk fat globule membrane) is found naturally in breast milk and is comprised of phospholipids, glycolipids, proteins and glycoproteins. MFGM ingredients made from whey were introduced into the infant category to ensure that infants can still benefit from the key components of MFGM if breast feeding is not possible.

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Global bioscience company Chr Hansen has conducted an HMO scientific study of an infant formula containing the five most abundant HMOs at a concentration of 5.75 gram per litre (g/l), which resembles the concentration that is naturally found in mother’s milk.

The results show good safety and tolerability of the blend of five HMOs – namely 2’-fucosyllactose, 3-fucosyllactose, lacto-N-tetraose, 3’-sialyllactose and 6’-sialyllactose– in infants. These results have just been published in the peer reviewed journal Nutrients, and it is the first publication describing the application of a complex blend of five HMOs at physiological concentrations.

The multi-centre, randomised, double-blinded study was conducted in 12 different investigator sites across Europe and included 341 newborn infants that were followed over a four-month investigational period. All infants developed well and the formula containing the mix of the five HMOs in question was well tolerated. Moreover, comparable to the study group of breastfed infants, they produced softer stools at a higher frequency than the control formula group.

“We are excited to publish this study of a complex blend of five HMOs at physiological concentrations in infant formula. Breastfeeding is the best way to ensure infant health and recommended by WHO, but at Chr Hansen, we aim to support the healthy development of infants that cannot be breastfed by providing HMOs as an ingredient and blend for infant formula in a natural concentration. The new study is an important step to bring infant formula closer to breast milk,” says Jesper Sig Mathiasen, senior vice president, Chr Hansen HMO.

HMOs are authorised as ingredients for infant formula in North America, Europe, parts of Latin America and Asia with approvals pending in key markets such as China, India, Brazil and Argentina.

“About 150 different HMOs have been identified so far, but most infant formula products do not contain HMOs or contain only the most abundant HMO, 2’-fucosyllactose,” explains Dr Katja Parschat, head of Research & Development, Chr Hansen HMO. “However, the benefits of HMOs stem from the structural diversity of these sugars. They are well represented by the five HMOs studied since these account for about 30% of all HMOs in human breast milk. In a further study, we will analyse the development of the gut microbiota of the 341 infants included in the study just published to get more insight on the benefits of the HMOs on gastrointestinal health,” she concludes.

It is a strategic priority for Chr Hansen to invest in further research to expand its expertise in this innovative field and provide more insights on the benefits of HMOs in science and in infants’ health.

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The sale includes manufacturing plants in Nijmegen, the Netherlands and Guangzhou, China. It includes a royalty-free perpetual and exclusive license of the Mead Johnson and Enfa family of vrands in China.

Folliowing the sale, Reckitt will continue to own the Mead Johnson and Enfa brands globally and operate these in the rest of the world. Subject to closing conditions completion is expected in the second half of 2021.

“After a thorough review of IFCN China, we have found an excellent home for the business under the ownership of Primavera,” notes Reckitt CEO Laxman Narasimhan.

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The newly installed equipment consists of a sterilisation module followed by aseptic filling and complete with a secondary packaging unit. Beyond enhancing its production capacity and providing state-of-the-art quality control, with this investment, ESI Nutrition also wanted to expand the range of formats available to its customers and released two new bottle sizes: 70ml and 90ml. Smaller than the existing options, these new bottles are compact and perfect for ESI Nutrition’s flagship product, “nourettes”, which are liquid infant formula prepackaged in ready-to-use baby bottles with a dedicated screw top and adapted teat, handed out in maternity wards. They are ergonomically designed for easier handling and translucent to keep track of how much has been consumed.

“Seeing the first market-ready bottles coming out of the line was a big milestone for the company and we are really excited for the addition of these new options to our range. Not only will it open up opportunities for our customers in the infant nutrition market, but it could also benefit sports nutrition brands and even be a great match for highly concentrated clinical nutrition formulas. Regardless of the application, our team of expert is here to provide our customers unparalleled support throughout the process, from navigating the regulatory landscape and creating a formula that meet their specific needs to getting their brand on the packaging,” explained Mathieu Lucot, marketing manager at ESI Nutrition.

“The fact that our facility is General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) approved to supply products for export to China is also a big asset that will allow us to develop our reach in the area by providing nutritionally-adapted solutions that best support infant’s growth and development,” he added.

ESI Nutrition offers nutrition brands a range of shelf-stable, ready-to-market products with a focus on infant formulas, clinical nutrition, and healthy ageing as well as sports nutrition and active lifestyle. In addition to bottles, the company also supplies small ready-to-drink cartons and individual plastic cups.

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DSM of the Netherlands has purchased a Danish supplier of human milk oligosaccharides, Glycom. The advancement in infant formulas is so profound that the formulas of today are a far cry from what passed for formula even a decade ago. The interesting thing is that these advancements in early life applications, as the formula market is often called, can be applied in other areas. Elder nutrition, specialist formulas for children and adults with gastrointestinal issues – the mind boggles. In a way, the feeding of the very young is a keystone to using the ingredients in dairy for other applications. We all benefit, as the technology advances to make better early nutrition. DSM, with its global reach, can get the HMOs Glycom produces to new markets and outlets.

I think that’s the upside of living in today’s world. The advances are coming thick and fast and giving hope to human ailments that have long dogged us. However, the advent of items such as coronavirus means that the fight is continuing, and we as humans will probably always need to keep an eye out. As Peter Meehan, Peter Meehan, senior commodity analyst at INTL FCStone, reminds us:

“The impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) has weighed heavily on global dairy markets in recent weeks as uncertainty as to its impact on Chinese demand for dairy commodities and supply-chain logistics looms large over markets. A significant proportion of the potential price negativity caused by COVID-19 has been offset for the moment by the on-going dryness concerns over New Zealand’s North Island which has led to a sharp fall-off in its pasture growth rates. Now that we have moved well beyond New Zealand’s peak milk-producing months and collections tail-off as per their seasonal trend, there’s a sense that the impact of COVID-19 will begin to win that recent tug-of-war, putting further pressure on dairy prices in the coming weeks. We understand Chinese port capacity is has been severely curtailed by reduced staffing which has led to a backlog of vessels waiting to unload. Internal logistics are also heavily impacted by staffing issues while the transportation of medical supplies is being prioritised as efforts continue to stop the spread of the virus. A decline in the numbers of people dining in restaurants, fast-food outlets etc. has also led to a fall in demand for dairy ingredients typically used as such outlets. This in turn is further impacting on dairy commodity consumption.”

Stay healthy, everyone.

Photo credit: Courtesy of EPI

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OPO is naturally present in mother’s milk, with 60-75% palmitic acid levels in the middle, or SN-2, position, and oleic acid in the outer SN-1 and SN-3 positions. This unique OPO lipid structure allows babies to absorb more nutrients.

Until now, no ingredient supplier could provide an OPO or SN-2 palmitate level that surpassed 40-45% and most commercial infant formulas have mainly POP (Palmitic-Oleic-Palmitic) fats. Recently awarded the Fi Europe 2019 Innovation Award for Functional Innovation, the new Betapol Plus blend for infant formula offers a 60% OPO or SN-2 palmitate level, which is the highest level available on the market, up to 50% higher than current products. This new solution is closer to the levels in mother’s milk fat than any offering available on the market.

“This new Betapol product is definitely a milestone in our lipid solutions innovation, but not the end,” said Emiliano Rial Verde vice president nutrition at BLC. “Taking advantage of our 30-year experience in specialty lipids for infant nutrition, we are continuously studying the composition and structure of human breast milk to provide customers and consumers with innovative products that are closer and closer to nature.”

“There is a strong need in the infant milk formula industry to get as close as possible to the composition and benefits of mother’s milk, ensuring parents have the best alternative available when breastfeeding is not possible.”

“With Betapol Plus, we are providing an option that is closest to nature. It adds significant value to infant formula brands where premium choices are in high demand and to the growing specialty infant formula market addressing diverse dietary needs,” Emiliano Rial Verde added.

Developed by BLC, the science behind Betapol Plus is backed by robust clinical studies, scientific research programs and established relationships with key infant nutrition authorities in Europe.

“We all agree that breastfeeding is important for infant nutrition and bonding,” said Wiola Mi, global human nutrition science lead of the new generation Betapol. “But when breastfeeding is not an option, choosing the best infant formula, with the best evidence-backed ingredients, is key for babies’ healthy growth and development.”

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A new premium offering, Infat Pro, offers higher levels of sn-2 palmitate, while Infat MF is a special blend containing milk fat. Both new products will be unveiled at Food Ingredients Europe, 3-5 December in Paris.

Breastfed babies receive many of their nutritional needs from palmitic acid, the most common saturated fatty acid in humans. 70–80% of the palmitic acid in human milk is attached to the glycerol backbone in the sn-2 position, which facilitates calcium and fat absorption. However, in many oils used in formula, sn-2 concentration is as low as 8–10%.

Infat – Advanced Lipids’ original fat ingredient – contains around 40–45% sn-2 palmitate, enabling formulas to more closely provide many of the benefits of breast milk.

The new premium product, Infat Pro, offers even higher levels of sn-2 palmitate – as much as 60% – allowing better absorption of calcium and fat.

Marcus Gliwitzki, CEO at Advanced Lipids, said: “Infat Pro allows formula manufacturers to get even closer to the benefits of breast milk. It offers all the advantages of our original formulation but with even more sn-2 palmitate. This means fat, calcium and other essential nutrients can be better absorbed, supporting infant health and development.”

The other new product is Infat MF, a special blend made with milk fat. Adding lipid components from milk to formula offers natural taste, and together with high sn-2, the product is designed to offer “the best of both worlds”.

In addition to Infat, Infat Pro, and Infat MF, Advanced Lipids offers Infat Plus, which is designed to be closer to the structure of the breast milk of women from China.

Ronald van der Knaap, chairman of Advanced Lipids, said: “The ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach no longer works in formula markets, where it’s increasingly important for manufacturers to offer consumers a choice. We’ve worked hard to develop these innovative new additions to our range, and we’re delighted to have the chance to showcase them at FIE.”

All the products will be showcased at Booth #6Q51 of Food Ingredients Europe

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