Diet and faecal flora in the newborn: breast milk and infant formula.

Abstract

This study examined the faecal flora on days 4, 14, and 28 of 17 breast fed babies and 26 bottle fed babies receiving a modern infant formula based on demineralized whey. Generally among breast fed babies bifidobacteria and staphylococci were the predominant organisms, whereas in the formula fed babies the predominant organisms were enterococci, coliforms, and clostridia. Despite the extensive modification of cows9 milk to make an infant formula resemble human breast milk, the results are very similar to those previously reported with unmodified cows9 milk baby feeds. The exact dietary factor responsible for these microbiological differences is unclear and in succeeding papers we have looked at the effects of protein quality, in particular the content of whey proteins, casein, and lactoferrin.