Method for improving stool characteristics in infants

• US 10,251,899 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2008
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mead Johnson Nutrition Company (Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Mead Johnson Nutrition Company (Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC)
• Inventors: Rangavajla, Nagendra, Franco, Joaquin
• Primary Examiner(s): Afremova, Vera
• Application Number:
  US12/102,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20090092590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,012 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/7016 Disaccharides, e.g. lactose, lactulose lactobionic acid A61K31/7032
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/702 Oligosaccharides, i.e. having three to five saccharide radicals attached to each other by glycosidic linkages
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 35/745 Bifidobacteria
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 35/747 Lactobacilli, e.g. L. acidophilus or L. brevis
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 1/12 Antidiarrhoeals

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention, a novel method for improving the stool characteristics, reducing the incidence of diarrhea, and firming the stool of a formula-fed infant has been discovered. The method comprises administering to the infant at least one prebiotic and hydrolyzed pectin.

Claims

1. A method for providing prebiotics to a formula-fed infant while producing firm stool in the infant, the method comprising administering to the infant a nutritional composition comprising a prebiotic mixture comprising polydextrose and galactooligosaccharide, between about 0.1 g and about 5 g per 100 kcal extensively hydrolyzed pectin having a peak molecular weight of 3,300 or less, and at least one insoluble fiber.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the amount of the prebiotic mixture is between about 1.0 and about 10.0 grams per liter of the nutritional composition.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the amount of the prebiotic mixture is between about 2.0 and about 8.0 grams per liter of the nutritional composition.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the amount of hydrolyzed pectin is between about 0.25 g and about 1 g per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the nutritional composition additionally comprises at least one long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid comprises docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or arachidonic acid (ARA).

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the nutritional composition additionally comprises at least one probiotic.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the probiotic is selected from the group consisting of Bifidobacteria spp. and Lactobacillus spp.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one insoluble fiber is selected from the group consisting of oat hull fiber, soy fiber, pea fiber, beet fiber, cellulose and corn fiber, and a mixture thereof.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the nutritional composition comprises DHA and ARA, further wherein the weight ratio of ARA to DHA is from about 1:

3 to 9;

1.

2. A method for providing prebiotics to a formula-fed infant while reducing the incidence of diarrhea in the infant, the method comprising administering to the infant a nutritional composition comprising a prebiotic mixture comprising polydextrose and galactooligosaccharide, between about 0.1 g and about 5 g per 100 kcal extensively hydrolyzed pectin having a peak molecular weight of 3,300 or less, and at least one insoluble fiber.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the amount of the prebiotic mixture is between about 1.0 g/L and 10.0 g/L of the nutritional composition.

4. The method according to claim 2 wherein the amount of the prebiotic mixture is between about 2.0 g/L and 8.0 g/L of the nutritional composition.

5. The method according to claim 2 wherein the amount of hydrolyzed pectin is between about 0.25 g and about 1 g per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition.

14. The method according to claim 2, wherein the at least one insoluble fiber is selected from the group consisting of oat hull fiber, soy fiber, pea fiber, beet fiber, cellulose and corn fiber, and a mixture thereof.