These milestone achievements cement FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ status as a leading global supplier of gut health ingredients for early-life nutrition

FrieslandCampina Ingredients, the global innovator in healthy and functional ingredients for early life nutrition, announces that it has received the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) approval of its production strain of Lacto-N-Tetraose (LNT). This step of the approval, which follows the MARA’s approval of the company’s Aequival^® 2’-FL ingredient, means that this ingredient will move to the final stage of the approval process, opening the doors for this human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) to be introduced into China – the world’s largest infant milk formula market.  

Once both these ingredients have achieved “final nutrition fortifier” approval in China – the next and final step in the approval process – FrieslandCampina Ingredients will become the sole provider of both HMOs and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) in China, a unique position which will enable brands to unlock exciting new opportunities to differentiate their products by providing complementary benefits.  

The news comes as FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ Aequival^® LNT also secures self-affirmed Generally Recognised as Safe (GRAS) status in the US, the first of a two-step FDA approval. Following full FDA approval, the company will be able to provide the gut-supporting benefits of LNT for infant nutrition to customers in the USA. This achievement, coupled with the recent MARA approval in China, solidifies FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ position as a global leader in gut health ingredients.  

Supporting gut health when it matters most 

The gut plays a pivotal role in infant health and well-being. Early life gut development and maturation, including microbiota development,ⁱ is essential for the proper digestion and absorption of nutrients,ⁱⁱ development of the immune systemⁱⁱⁱ andto ensure a first line of defence against threats from the external environment.ⁱⁱⁱ LNT is one such gut-supporting ingredient, with a growing bank of scientific research supporting its benefits. LNT has been proven to stimulate the growth of Bifidobacteria,^iv reduce attachment of the parasite Entamoeba histolytica,^v a parasite known to cause gut issues and inhibit the growth of group B streptococcus.^vi,vii

The inclusion of gut health-supporting ingredients as a value-add in infant milk formulas is being influenced by the growing trend towards premiumisation, which is seeing brands increasingly leverage additional bioactive components with proven benefits for formula-fed infants – particularly in markets such as China.^viii Plus, as consumers become more aware of the importance of good gut health – 80 percent of parents of infants say it is a priority^ix – ingredients like HMOs are in high demand. In fact, 45 percent of parents in China find formulas with more HMOs appealing.^x

This approval means that brands will soon be able to combine FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ LNT, 2’-FL and GOS ingredients to increase the diversity of oligosaccharide structures in their formulations, tapping into both the growing interest in infant gut health and the surge in demand for premium infant milk formulas.  

A significant step forward 

 “This news marks a significant milestone for us as a company and for the early life nutrition sector in China and the US,” says Cindy Zhao, General Manager, FrieslandCampina Ingredients China.“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.” 

Zhao continues, “These approvals, secured through a rigorous regulatory process, further highlights FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ status as a reliable and trusted supplier to the early life nutrition market. With a long history in the infant milk formula market, we’re excited to soon be able to provide brands with new innovation opportunities to help support infants at the time they need it most.” 

To learn more about FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ range of gut-supporting ingredients for the early life nutrition market, click here. 

ⁱ Zhuang, L., Chen, H., Zhang, S., Zhuang, J., Li, Q., & Feng, Z. (2019). Intestinal Microbiota in Early Life and Its Implications on Childhood Health. Genomics, Proteomics & Bioinformatics, 17(1), 13–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gpb.2018.10.002

ⁱⁱ Hamosh M. Digestion in the Newborn. Clin Perinatol. 1996;23(2):191-209. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0095-5108(18)30238-0

ⁱⁱⁱ Martin, R., Nauta, A. J., Ben Amor, K., Knippels, L. M. J., Knol, J., & Garssen, J. (2010). Early life: Gut microbiota and immune development in infancy. Beneficial Microbes. https://doi.org/10.3920/BM2010.0027

^iv Asakuma et al., 2011​

^v Jantscher-Krenn et al., 2012

^vi Lin et al., 2017

^vii Craft et al., 2019 

^viii FrieslandCampina Ingredients and Ipsos market research, 2023

^ix FrieslandCampina Ingredients, Early Life nutrition global study, 2020^x Mintel, HMOs approval in China infant formula is a game changer, 2024