Abstracto

Use of probiotic, prebiotic and symbiotic in infant formulas

Federik M

Introduction: Research and innovation in the field of infant milk formulas aim to approximate the nutritional composition of breast milk, and mimic its benefits at the functional level. Technological advances, together with the development of knowledge about the components of breast milk, have made it possible to identify a large number of bioactive compounds, which has led to their incorporation into infant formulas. Methods: Bibliographic review of scientific publications, in the databases: SciELO, Scopus and ScienceDirect. The publications addressed the topics of probiotics, symbiotic and their addition in infant milk formulas. Results: A total of 32 scientific articles were found that met the inclusion criteria. The definitions of prebiotic, probiotic and symbiotic are presented. The physiological effects on health and its recommendations are detailed. Conclusions: Evidence about clinical efficacy through the addition of prebiotics is not enough to recommend routine use in infant formulas. In relation to the addition of probiotics, further research is needed to be able to establish with specificity the types of strains, species and doses of consumption that are beneficial for health.