Human milk oligosaccharides for health

RHEINBREITBACH / ACCESSWIRE / March 28, 2019 / Human mothers are unique because they produce breast milk which is very different from other species on our planet. Human milk has a very high concentration of special sugars known as human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs). These HMOs are the third most abundant solid component of human milk after lactose and fat. More than 200 structurally different HMOs have been identified. The most abundant HMO is 2′-fucosyllactose, which is produced by about 80% of all lactating mothers at concentrations of up to 2g/L. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommend breastfeeding for babies up to six months. But mothers who can or will not breastfeed can use infant formula containing HMOs as functional novel food ingredient.

Human milk oligosaccharides have a wide range of biological activities which are beneficial for health maintenance. Scientific studies have shown that HMOs and 2′-fucosyllactose in particular, have a positive impact on infant development. They play an important role in the development of the gut microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract of the neonate. And human milk oligosaccharides affect the growth of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in the intestinal tract of the neonate, therefore acting as prebiotics. Other international studies have also demonstrated the protective effect of HMOs against bacterial and viral infections, particularly those responsible for bacterial diarrhoea. Furthermore, specific HMOs can reduce the risk of norovirus infection, stimulate the brain development and protect the immune system in babies. They also reduce the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis, the most common and fatal disorder in preterm neonates.

But not only babies, also adults, can benefit from human milk oligosaccharides. Due to its specific characteristics these HMOs can be used in nutritional, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and medical applications.

Jennewein Biotechnologie GmbH, a company located in Germany which was founded in 2005, has developed a unique innovative production process based on bacterial fermentation, which allows the production in industrial-scale of various HMOs. The company manufactures an extensive portfolio of HMOs such as 2-fucosyllactose, 3′-fucosyllactose and lacto-N-tetraose. In 2015, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Jennewein Biotechnologie a license to market 2′-fucosyllactose in the USA. This was followed in 2017 by the European Union (Novel Food Regulation).

For further information, please contact:

Dr. Bettina Gutiérrez

bettina.gutierrez@jennewein-biotech.de

Tel.: +49 2224 98810797

SOURCE: Jennewein Biotechnologie GmbH

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