FrieslandCampina Ingredients, a global functional ingredients company for early life nutrition, has receieved approval from both the Chinese Ministrial of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) and a GRAS certification from the US Food and Drug Administation (FDA) for its strain of Lacto-N-Tetraose.
This decision from the Chinese body means that the ingredient can move into the final stage of the approval process, introducing human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) into the Chinese market for the first time.
If successful, Friesland Campina Ingredients will become the sole provider of both galacto-oligosaccharides and HMOs in China.
China is currently the largest market for infant milk formulas, so this development could be significant for the company.
Simultaneously, FrieslandCampina Ingredients' Aequival LNT has also secured GRAS status in the US. Following full FDA approval, the company can freely distribute its infant nutrition solutions to customers in the US.
Supporting gut health when it matters most
Gut health plays an essential role in the health and wellbeing of infants. Microbiota development in early life is essential for efficient digestion and nutrient absorption, as well as the development of the immune system.
LNT is an ingredient that can support gut health, with a growing bank of scientific research supporting its benefits. LNT has also been proven to stimulate the growth of Bifidobacteria, reduce attachment of the parasite Entamoeba histolytica and inhibit the growth of B. streptococcus strains.
Consumers are becoming more aware of the importance of gut health, with 80% of infant parents claiming it to be a priority.1 Therefore, this approval will allow the company to meet the public's needs in China and the US.
General Manager of FrieslandCampina Ingredients China, Cindy Zhao, commented: “This news marks a significant milestone for us as a company and for the early life nutrition sector in China and the US. Both the MARA and self-affirmed GRAS approvals of the production strain of our LNT brings us one step closer to meeting consumers’ increasing demand for premium, gut-supporting infant milk formulas that provide benefits for babies when breastfeeding isn’t an option.”
Reference
1 FrieslandCampina Ingredients, Early Life nutrition global study, 2020
