Infant Formula with Added Bovine Milk Fat Globule Membrane and Modified Iron Supports Growth and Normal Iron Status at One Year of Age: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Inclusion of bovine-derived milk fat globule membrane (bMFGM) or bMFGM components in infant formulas (IFs) may support healthy brain development. This double-blind, prospective trial evaluated growth, tolerance, and iron status in infants receiving added bMFGM and modified protein, iron, and arachidonic acid (ARA) concentrations in IF. Healthy term infants were randomized to: control (marketed, routine cow’s milk-based IF/100 kcal: 2.1 g protein, 1.8 mg iron, 34 mg ARA) or INV-MFGM (investigational cow’s milk-based IF/100 kcal: 1.9 g protein, 1.2 mg iron, 25 mg ARA and whey protein-lipid concentrate, 5 g/L (source of bMFGM)). Anthropometrics, stool characteristics, fussiness, and gassiness through day 365 and blood markers of iron status at day 365 were evaluated. The primary outcome was rate of weight gain from 14–120 days of age. Of 373 infants enrolled (control: 191, INV-MFGM: 182), 275 completed the study (control: 141; INV-MFGM: 134). No group differences in growth rate (g/day) from day 14–120 or study discontinuation were detected. Few group differences in growth or parent-reported fussiness, gassiness, or stool characteristics were detected. No group differences were detected in hemoglobin, hematocrit, or incidence of anemia. In healthy term infants, bMFGM and modified protein, iron, and ARA concentrations in a cow’s milk-based IF were well-tolerated, associated with adequate growth throughout the first year of life, and supported normal iron status at one year of age.

Whey Protein Lipid Concentrate High in Milk Fat Globule Membrane Components Inhibit Porcine and Human Rotavirus in vitro

Background: The milk fat globule membrane (MFMG) is a complex milk component that has been shown to inhibit rotavirus (RV) binding to cell membranes in vitro. Herein, a whey protein lipid concentrate high in MFGM components (WPLC) and whey protein concentrate (WPC; control) were screened for anti-infective activity against porcine OSU and human Wa strains of RV in both the African Green Monkey kidney (MA104) and the human colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) cell lines.Materials and Methods: Confluent cells were exposed to OSU or Wa RV in the presence of WPLC or WPC (control) at 0, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, or 5 mg/ml. Infectivity was detected by immunohistochemistry and expressed as % inhibition relative to 0 mg/ml. WPLC efficacy over WPC was expressed as fold-change. One-way ANOVA analyzed data for the independent and interactive effects of concentration, test material, and RV strain.Results: Both WPLC and WPC exhibited concentration-dependent inhibition of human Wa and porcine OSU RV infectivity in MA104 and Caco-2 cells (p < 0.0001). WPLC was 1.5–4.8-fold more effective in reducing infectivity than WPC. WPLC efficacy was independent of RV strains, but varied between cell lines. WPLC and WPC at concentrations ≥0.5 mg/mL were most effective in reducing human Wa RV infectivity in MA104 cells (p < 0.0001).Conclusions: WPLC decreased infectivity of two strains for RV which differ in their dependency on sialic acid for binding to cells. Inhibition was observed in the most commonly used cell type for RV infectivity assays (MA104) and an intestinal cell line (Caco-2). An effect on virus infectivity might be a potential mechanisms of action contributing to beneficial effects of supplementation of infant formula with MGFM reducing the risk of infections and consequently diarrhea incidence in infants.

Digestion and Absorption of Milk Phospholipids in Newborns and Adults

Milk polar lipids provide choline, ethanolamine, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are needed for the growth and plasticity of the tissues in a suckling child. They may also inhibit cholesterol absorption by interacting with cholesterol during micelle formation. They may also have beneficial luminal, mucosal, and metabolic effects in both the neonate and the adult. The milk fat globule membrane contains large proportions of sphingomyelin (SM), phosphatidylcholine (PC), and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and some phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylinositol (PI), and glycosphingolipids. Large-scale technical procedures are available for the enrichment of milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) in milk replacement formulations and food additives. Pancreatic phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and mucosal phospholipase B digest glycero-phospholipids in the adult. In the neonate, where these enzymes may be poorly expressed, pancreatic lipase-related protein 2 probably has a more important role. Mucosal alkaline SM-ase and ceramidase catalyze the digestion of SM in both the neonate and the adult. In the mucosa, the sphingosine is converted into sphingosine-1-phosphate, which is both an intermediate in the conversion to palmitic acid and a signaling molecule. This reaction sequence also generates ethanolamine. Here, we summarize the pathways by which digestion and absorption may be linked to the biological effects of milk polar lipids. In addition to the inhibition of cholesterol absorption and the generation of lipid signals in the gut, the utilization of absorbed choline and ethanolamine for mucosal and hepatic phospholipid synthesis and the acylation of absorbed lyso-PC with polyunsaturated fatty acids to chylomicron and mucosal phospholipids are important.