Nutritional composition

Abstract

A nutritional composition for infants at risk of developing obesity later in life comprises a protein source, a lipid source and a carbohydrate source and has a protein content of less than 1.8 g/100 kcal and an energy density of less than 650 kcal/liter.

Claims

1. A method of reducing the risk of developing obesity in an infant born to an obese or overweight mother, the method comprising: administering to the infant as the sole source of nutrition, from the age of three months until an introduction of solid foods, and as part of a mixed diet, from the introduction of solid foods until the age of about 12 months, a composition comprising a protein source that includes at least 20% by weight casein, a lipid source having a ratio of linoleic acid (C18:2n6):-linolenic acid (C18:3n3) between 7:1 and 5:1, a carbohydrate source, a protein content between 1.4 and 1.7 g/100 kcal, a probiotic bacterial strain selected from the group consisting of B. lactis, L. rhamnosus and a combination thereof, in an amount of from 10.sup.6 to 10.sup.11 cfu/g of composition (dry weight), and an energy density of less than 650 kcal/liter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy density of the composition is between 620 and 640 kcal/liter.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the protein source includes whey protein.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the ratio of casein:whey is between 30:70 and 70:30.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the whey protein is sweet whey from which the caseino-glycomacropeptide has been removed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the protein(s) are intact.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbohydrate source is lactose and an additional carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of saccharose, maltodextrin, starch and combinations thereof.

8. A method of reducing the risk of obesity and promoting a rate of growth in an infant born to an obese or overweight mother, the promoted rate of growth approximates the rate of growth of a breast fed infant of the same age, the method comprising: administering to the infant as the sole source of nutrition, from the age of three months until an introduction of solid foods, and as part of a mixed diet, from the introduction of solid foods until the age of about 12 months, a composition comprising a protein source, a lipid source having a ratio of linoleic acid (C18:2n6): -linolenic acid (C18:3n3) between 7:1 and 5:1, a carbohydrate source, a protein content between 1.4 and 1.7 g/100 kcal, a probiotic bacterial strain selected from the group consisting of B. lactis, L. rhamnosus and a combination thereof, in an amount of from 10.sup.6 to 10.sup.11 cfu/g of composition (dry weight), and an energy density of less than 650 kcal/liter.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the energy density of the composition is between 620 and 640 kcal/liter.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the protein source includes whey protein.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the ratio of casein:whey is between 30:70 and 70:30.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the whey protein is sweet whey from which the caseino-glycomacropeptide has been removed.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the protein is intact.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the carbohydrate source is lactose.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the composition comprises an additional carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of saccharose, maltodextrin, starch and combinations thereof.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(1) In this specification, the following expressions have the meanings assigned to them below: infant means a child under the age of 12 months; infant at risk of developing obesity later in life means an infant born to an obese mother normal growth rate of a breast fed infant means the growth rates for breast fed infants set out in Acta Paediatrica, Vol 95, April 2006, Supplement 450 WHO Child Growth Standards obese mother means a woman with a BMI greater than 30 prior to establishment of pregnancy; overweight mother means a woman with a BMI greater than 25 prior to establishment of pregnancy; protein content means total content of proteinaceous material including free amino acids (if present).

(2) All percentages and ratios are by weight unless otherwise specified.

(3) References to the energy density of the nutritional composition in a specified number of kilocalories per liter refer, in the context of powdered products, to the product after re-constitution according to the directions provided with the product.

(4) The energy density of a nutritional composition according to the invention is less than 650 kcal/l, preferably between 620 and 640 kcal/l.

(5) The nutritional composition of the present invention has a protein content of less than 1.8 g/100 kcal. Preferably the protein content is between 1.4 and 1.7 g/100 kcal. The detailed make-up of the protein source is not believed to be critical to the present invention provided that the minimum requirements for essential amino acid content are met and satisfactory growth is ensured. Thus, protein sources based on cows' milk proteins such as whey, casein and mixtures thereof may be used as well as protein sources based on soy. However, mixtures of whey and casein proteins are preferred. The casein:whey ratio may lie in the range from 70:30 to 30:70 but is preferably 40:60.

(6) The protein(s) in the protein source may be intact or partially hydrolysed or a mixture of intact and hydrolysed proteins may be used. However, intact proteins are preferred.

(7) The protein source may additionally be supplemented with free amino acids if this is necessary to meet the minimum requirements for essential amino acid content. These requirements are published for example in EC Directive 91/321/EEC. However, it will be appreciated that because of the over-riding need to control the protein content of the nutritional composition as discussed above, supplementation with free amino acids may be driven primarily by the amino acid profile of the protein source(s) selected and the resultant need to supplement with certain free amino acids if any. This is illustrated further in the examples below.

(8) As noted above, the preferred protein source is a mixture of casein and whey proteins. The whey protein may be a whey protein isolate, acid whey, sweet whey or sweet whey from which the caseino-glycomacropeptide has been removed (modified sweet whey). Preferably, however, the whey protein is modified sweet whey. Sweet whey is a readily available by-product of cheese making and is frequently used in the manufacture of nutritional compositions based on cows' milk. However, sweet whey includes a component which is undesirably rich in threonine and poor in tryptophan called caseino-glycomacropeptide (CGMP). Removal of the CGMP from sweet whey results in a protein with a threonine content closer to that of human milk. A process for removing CGMP from sweet whey is described in EP 880902.

(9) If modified sweet whey is used as the whey protein in a mixture of 60% whey and 40% casein, the protein source is preferably supplemented by free tryptophan, isoleucine, histidine and phenylalanine in amounts of up to 0.34% for tryptophan, 0.92% for isoleucine, 0.19% for histidine and 2.2% for phenylalanine (in each case as a percentage by weight of total protein content). If intact sweet whey is used as the whey protein in a mixture of 60% whey and 40% casein, the protein source is preferably supplemented by free tryptophan, leucine, histidine and phenylalanine in amounts of up to 0.5% for tryptophan, 0.37% for leucine, 0.3% for histidine and 2.5% for phenylalanine (in each case as a percentage by weight of total protein content).

(10) The nutritional compositions of the present invention contains a source of carbohydrates. The preferred source of carbohydrates is lactose although other carbohydrates such as saccharose, maltodextrin, and starch may also be added. Preferably, the carbohydrate content of the nutritional composition is between 9 and 14 g/100 kcal.

(11) The nutritional composition of the present invention contains a source of lipids. The lipid source may be any lipid or fat which is suitable for use in nutritional compositions to be fed to infants. Preferred fat sources include coconut oil, low erucic rapeseed oil (canola oil), soy lecithin, palm olein, and sunflower oil. The essential polyunsaturated fatty acids linoleic acid and -linolenic acid will also be added as may small amounts of oils containing high quantities of preformed long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid such as fish oils or single cell oils. In total, the lipid content may be between 4.4 and 6 g/100 kcal. Preferably, the ratio of linoleic acid (C18:2n6): -linolenic acid (C18:3n3) in the lipid source is less than 7:1, more preferably between 7:1 and 5:1. Further, the ratio of arachidonic acid (C20:4n6):docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6n3) in the lipid source is preferably between 2:1 and 1.1.

(12) The nutritional composition may also contain all vitamins and minerals understood to be essential in the daily diet in nutritionally significant amounts. Minimum requirements have been established for certain vitamins and minerals. Examples of minerals, vitamins and other nutrients optionally present in the nutritional composition include vitamin A, vitamin B.sub.1, vitamin B.sub.2, vitamin B.sub.6, vitamin B.sub.12, vitamin E, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin D, folic acid, inositol, niacin, biotin, pantothenic acid, choline, calcium, phosphorous, iodine, iron, magnesium, copper, zinc, manganese, chloride, potassium, sodium, selenium, chromium, molybdenum, taurine, and L-carnitine. Minerals are usually added in salt form.

(13) If necessary, the nutritional composition may contain emulsifiers and stabilisers such as soy lecithin, citric acid esters of mono- and di-glycerides, and the like. This is especially the case if the composition is provided in liquid form.

(14) The nutritional composition may optionally contain other substances which may have a beneficial effect such as probiotic bacteria, fibres, lactoferrin, nucleotides, nucleosides, and the like in the amounts customarily found in nutritional compositions to be fed to infants.

(15) The nutritional composition may be prepared in any suitable manner. For example, a nutritional composition may be prepared by blending together the protein source, the carbohydrate source, and the lipid source in appropriate proportions. If used, emulsifiers may be included in the blend at this stage. The vitamins and minerals may be added at this point but are usually added later to avoid thermal degradation. Any lipophilic vitamins, emulsifiers and the like may be dissolved into the fat source prior to blending. Water, preferably water which has been subjected to reverse osmosis, may then be mixed in to form a liquid mixture.

(16) The liquid mixture may then be thermally treated to reduce bacterial loads. For example, the liquid mixture may be rapidly heated to a temperature in the range of about 80 C. to about 110 C. for about 5 seconds to about 5 minutes. This may be carried out by steam injection or by heat exchanger; for example a plate heat exchanger.

(17) The liquid mixture may then be cooled to about 60 C. to about 85 C.; for example by flash cooling. The liquid mixture may then be homogenised; for example in two stages at about 7 MPa to about 40 MPa in the first stage and about 2 MPa to about 14 MPa in the second stage. The homogenised mixture may then be further cooled and any heat sensitive components; such as vitamins and minerals may be added. The pH and solids content of the homogenised mixture is conveniently standardised at this point.

(18) If it is desired to produce a powdered composition, the homogenised mixture is transferred to a suitable drying apparatus such as a spray drier or freeze drier and converted to powder. The powder should have a moisture content of less than about 5% by weight.

(19) If it is desired to produce a liquid composition, the homogenised mixture is filled into suitable containers; preferably aseptically. However, the liquid composition may also be retorted in the container. Suitable apparatus for carrying out filling of this nature is commercially available. The liquid composition may be in the form of a ready to feed composition having a solids content of about 10 to about 14% by weight or may be in the form of a concentrate; usually of solids content of about 20 to about 26% by weight.

(20) An example of the composition of a nutritional composition according to the invention is given below:

(21) TABLE-US-00001 Nutrient per 100 kcal per liter Energy (kcal) 100 630 Protein (g) 1.5 9.45 (skimmed milk powder, modified sweet whey) free phenylalanine (mg) 30 189 free isoleucine (mg) 13.5 85 free tryptophan (mg) 4.9 30.9 free histidine (mg) 2.5 15.8 casein:whey ratio 40:60 40:60 Fat (g) 5.3 33.4 Linoleic acid (g) 0.7 4.4 -Linolenic acid (mg) 106 668 DHA (mg) 11.5 72.5 ARA (mg) 11.5 72.5 Linoleic acid: -Linolenic acid 6.5 6.5 Lactose (g) 11.6 73.1 Minerals and Electrolytes Na (mg) 25 158 K (mg) 89 561 Cl (mg) 64 403 Ca (mg) 64 403 P (mg) 32 202 Ca/P 2.0 2.0 Mg (mg) 6.9 43.5 Mn (g) 8.0 50.4 Vitamins and Trace Elements Vitamin A (IU) 350 2205 Vitamin D (IU) 60 378 Vitamin E (IU) 1.2 7.6 Vitamin K1 (g) 8.0 50.4 Vitamin C (mg) 10 63 Vitamin B1 (mg) 0.07 0.44 Vitamin B2 (mg) 0.15 0.95 Niacin (mg) 1.0 6.3 Vitamin B6 (mg) 0.075 0.47 Folic acid (g) 12 75.6 Pantothenic acid (mg) 0.45 2.83 Vitamin B12 (g) 0.3 1.89 Biotin (g) 2.2 13.9 Choline (mg) 10 63 Inositol (mg) 5.0 31.5 Taurine (mg) 7.0 44.1 Carnitine (mg) 1.6 10.1 Fe (mg) 1.2 7.56 I (g) 15 94.5 Cu (mg) 0.07 0.44 Se (g) 2.0 12.6 Zn (mg) 0.75 4.72 Nucleotides CMP (mg) 2.3 14.5 UMP (mg) 1.5 9.5 AMP (mg) 0.7 4.4 GMP (mg) 0.3 1.9 Probiotics B. lactis CNCM I-3446 2 10.sup.7 cfu/g powder L. rhamnosus CGMCC 1.3724 2 10.sup.7 cfu/g powder

(22) A nutritional composition according to the invention may be fed to an infant at risk of developing obesity later in life as the sole source of nutrition from the age of three months and subsequently as part of a mixed diet during the introduction of solid foods until weaning is complete at about the age of 12 months.