Bowel movement promoter for infants and young children

Abstract

To provide an agent for promoting defecation of infants.SOLUTION: The present invention relates to a defecation promoter for infants that contains probiotics and is started to be administered to an infant on day 0-10 after birth so that the administration continues for at least two weeks.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a defecation promoter for infants, a defecation promoting composition for infants, and a package for promoting defecation for infants. [Background technology]

[0002] Infants, especially newborns, spend most of their day lying on their backs, which is known to lead to poor bowel movements due to lack of exercise, resulting in constipation. Furthermore, for infants whose bowel functions are underdeveloped, when they begin solid foods as they begin weaning, their stool tends to harden, increasing their risk of constipation. Constipation in infants can lead to a loss of appetite, leading to nutritional deficiencies and a failure to develop bowel function. Therefore, there is a need for a method to promote bowel movements in infants.

[0003] Probiotics, particularly bifidobacteria, are the predominant bacterial species in the intestines of newborns (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1), and it has recently been discovered that the colonization of bifidobacteria in the intestines improves intestinal function and immune function in infants, and may also promote neurodevelopment, positively affecting the infant's physical and psychomotor development (Non-Patent Document 2). Therefore, their effectiveness is particularly expected for infants, particularly high-risk infants such as premature infants or low birth weight infants who are at high risk of suffering from disorders in physical or psychomotor development. [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0004] [Non-Patent Document 1] H.Tsuji,et al.Molecular monitoring the development of intestinal microbiota in Japanses infants.Beneficial Microbes,3,113-125,2012 [Non-patent document 2] Goyal MS, et al.Feeding the brain and nurturing the mind:Linking nutrition and the gut microbiota to brain development.Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2015;112:14105-14112. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, detailed research has not been conducted to date on the effect of probiotics on promoting bowel movements in infants, and there is no knowledge of the conditions under which probiotics should be administered to infants to promote bowel movements in infants. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an agent for promoting bowel movements in infants. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] Through extensive research, the present inventors have discovered that bowel movements in infants can be promoted by having them take probiotics during a specific period in the early stages of birth and for a predetermined period of time, and have completed the present invention.

[0007] That is, the present invention is as follows. 1. A probiotic-containing bowel movement promoter for infants, which is administered to infants 0-10 days after birth and is to be continued for at least two weeks. 2. The bowel movement promoter for infants described in 1 above, wherein the probiotic is bifidobacteria or lactic acid bacteria. 3. The defecation promoter for infants according to 2 above, wherein the bifidobacterium is Bifidobacterium bifidum. 4. The defecation promoter for infants according to 2 above, wherein the bifidobacteria is Bifidobacterium bifidum OLB6378 strain (Bifidobacterium bifidum, accession number: NITE BP-31). 5. The defecation promoter for infants according to any one of 1 to 4 above, wherein the probiotics are live bacteria. 6. 1 x 10 per day 8 6. The defecation promoter for infants according to any one of 1 to 5 above, which is used so that the probiotics have a bacterial count of cfu or more. 7. A defecation promoter for infants according to any one of 1 to 6 above, for promoting defecation in infants up to 18 months of age. 8. A defecation promoting composition for infants, comprising the defecation promoting agent for infants described in any one of 1 to 7 above. 9. A package for promoting defecation for infants, in which the composition for promoting defecation for infants described in 8 above is packaged in a packaging material. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The defecation promoter for infants of the present invention can be administered to infants starting from the early stages of birth, and by having them take it continuously for a predetermined period of time, defecation in infants can be promoted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] In the present invention, infants and young children include babies and toddlers, more specifically, babies, toddlers, and newborns, and even more specifically, babies, toddlers, newborns, premature babies, premature babies, and low birth weight babies. An infant refers to a child in infancy, where infancy refers to the period when milk, such as breast milk, is the main source of nutrition. In humans, infancy typically occurs before the age of one. A toddler generally refers to a child in the preschool age (6 to 7 years old). A newborn refers to a child in the neonatal period, where the neonatal period refers to the period immediately after birth. In humans, the neonatal period typically occurs within four weeks after birth.

[0010] The probiotics contained in the defecation promoter for infants of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as the agent of the present invention) refer to bacteria that are beneficial to the host animal by improving the balance of the intestinal flora formed by intestinal microorganisms. Probiotics in the present invention include, for example, lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria, and are not particularly limited to, but examples include fungi belonging to the genera Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, and Lactococcus.

[0011] Examples of the genus Bifidobacterium include Bifidobacterium longum strains, Bifidobacterium infantis strains, Bifidobacterium breve strains, Bifidobacterium bifidum strains, and Bifidobacterium adolescentis strains.

[0012] Among these, the preferred one is the Bifidobacterium bifidum strain, and more preferred is Bifidobacterium bifidum OLB6378 (Bifidobacterium bifidum, accession number: NITE BP-31).

[0013] The applicant has deposited these strains with the Patent Microorganisms Depositary, National Institute of Technology and Evaluation. The details of the deposit are as follows: (1) Name of depository institution: National Institute of Technology and Evaluation, Patent Microorganism Deposit Center (2) Contact: 2-5-8 Kazusa Kamatari, Kisarazu City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan 292-0818 (Currently: Room 122, 2-5-8 Kazusa Kamatari, Kisarazu City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan) Phone number: 0438-20-5580 (3) Accession number: NITE BP-31 (4) Identification: Bifidobacterium bifidum OLB6378 (5) Original deposit date: October 26, 2004 (6) Date of transfer under the Budapest Treaty: January 18, 2006

[0014] Bifidobacterium bifidum OLB6378 is a Gram-positive, obligately anaerobic bacillus isolated from human infant feces. When this bacterium is spread on a BL agar plate (Eiken Chemical Co., Ltd.) and cultured at 37°C for 48 hours under anaerobic conditions using an AnaeroPack Kenki (Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Co., Inc.), it forms opaque, round, hemispherical, glossy colonies.

[0015] Furthermore, Bifidobacterium bifidum strain OLB6378 elicits PCR products using Bifidobacterium bifidum-specific primers (Intestinal Flora Symposium 8, Molecular Biological Detection and Identification of Intestinal Flora, Mitsuoka Tomotari and Matsumoto Takahiro (2001)), specifically, species-specific primers for the 16S rRNA region, BiBIF-1: CCA CAT GAT CGC ATG TGA TT (SEQ ID NO: 1) and BiBIF-2: CCG AAG GCT TGC TCC CAA A (SEQ ID NO: 2). Furthermore, the strain is capable of fermenting galactose, glucose, fructose, lactose, and gentiobiose.

[0016] Examples of the genus Lactobacillus include Lactobacillus gasseri strains and Lactobacillus bulgaricus strains. Examples of the genus Streptococcus include Streptococcus thermophilus strains.

[0017] The probiotics of the present invention are not limited to these species, and these strains can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0018] As a medium for culturing the probiotics used in the present invention, a medium commonly used for culturing probiotics can be used. That is, the medium that can be used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and any medium can be used as long as it contains a main carbon source as well as a nitrogen source, inorganic substances and other nutrients in predetermined amounts.

[0019] Carbon sources that can be used include lactose, glucose, sucrose, fructose, starch hydrolysate, and blackstrap molasses, depending on the assimilation ability of the bacteria used. Nitrogen sources that can be used include organic nitrogen-containing substances such as casein hydrolysate, whey protein hydrolysate, and soy protein hydrolysate. Other growth promoters that can be used include meat extract, fish extract, and yeast extract.

[0020] Cultivation is preferably carried out under anaerobic conditions, and known techniques such as culturing while aerating carbon dioxide gas can be applied, but other techniques such as microaerobic conditions using commonly used liquid static culture or batch culture conditions can also be used. The culture temperature is preferably 25 to 50°C, particularly 35 to 42°C, but the present invention is not limited to this, and other temperature conditions may be used as long as the bacteria can grow.

[0021] The pH of the medium during culture is preferably maintained at 6.0 to 7.0, but other pH conditions are also acceptable as long as the bacteria can grow. The culture time is preferably 3 to 48 hours, more preferably 8 to 24 hours, and particularly preferably 10 to 20 hours, but other culture times are also acceptable as long as the bacteria can grow.

[0022] The obtained bacterial cells can be incorporated into the agent of the present invention as a probiotic-treated product that has been treated as follows: Examples of probiotic-treated products include cultures as they are after the end of cultivation, cultures that have been centrifuged or filtered after the end of cultivation, concentrates thereof, products further processed into pastes, dried products obtained by various methods (spray-dried products, freeze-dried products, vacuum-dried products, drum-dried products, etc.), liquid products dispersed in a medium, products diluted with a diluent, heat-treated products (heat-treated bacterial cells), light-irradiated products (light-irradiated bacterial cells) treated with ultraviolet light and / or radiation, drug-treated products (drug-treated bacterial cells) treated with a drug (bactericide, antibacterial agent, bacteriostatic agent), and crushed products obtained by crushing a dried product with a mill or the like.

[0023] Centrifugation, filtration, concentration, crushing, etc. can be carried out by commonly used techniques. Drying can be carried out by, for example, vacuum drying, spray drying, freeze drying, drum drying, etc. The above-mentioned medium, diluent, and chemicals (disinfectants, antibacterial agents, bacteriostatic agents), etc. can be appropriately selected from conventionally known ones and used. In this specification, these may be abbreviated as "probiotic treatment" or "treatment."

[0024] The probiotics and / or processed products obtained by the above-mentioned method can be contained in the agent of the present invention as they are, as live bacteria, or as heat-treated bacteria, and then crushed or uncrushed processed products, either alone or as a mixture of multiple types.

[0025] Live bacteria can be expected to have effects such as proliferation in the body (in the intestines) after ingestion. Furthermore, heat-treated bacteria do not need to take into account the probiotic property of being difficult to survive in the presence of oxygen, and the range of applications of the agent of the present invention is expanded.

[0026] Furthermore, probiotics can be used after growing in a medium by culturing or the like and removing the medium by centrifugation, etc. In this case, by leaving the medium components without washing them, the probiotic cultures can be included, thereby further enhancing the defecation-promoting effect of the agent of the present invention.

[0027] As for the conditions for the heat treatment, for example, the heating temperature is usually 60 to 300°C, preferably 60 to 200°C, more preferably 60 to 150°C, even more preferably 60 to 140°C, even more preferably 60 to 130°C, even more preferably 60 to 120°C, even more preferably 60 to 110°C, even more preferably 60 to 100°C, even more preferably 70 to 100°C, even more preferably 70 to 90°C, and particularly preferably 75 to 85°C.

[0028] Heat treatment at a temperature of 60°C or higher is preferred because it kills the nutritive cells of the probiotics, while heat treatment at a temperature of 300°C or lower is preferred because it allows the probiotics to remain without being carbonized.

[0029] The heat treatment time is usually 0.01 to 120 minutes, preferably 0.015 to 60 minutes, more preferably 0.02 to 40 minutes, even more preferably 0.025 to 30 minutes, even more preferably 0.03 to 25 minutes, and even more preferably 0.03 to 20 minutes. Heating for 5 minutes or more is particularly preferred. By setting the heat treatment time to 5 minutes or more, the nutritive cells of the probiotics are sterilized. Furthermore, setting the heat treatment time to 120 minutes or less is preferred because it suppresses thermal denaturation and efficiently sterilizes the nutritive cells.

[0030] The optimal heat treatment time for heat treatment in the low temperature range (60 to 100°C) can be, for example, 0.2 to 120 minutes, preferably 0.2 to 60 minutes, more preferably 0.2 to 40 minutes, even more preferably 0.2 to 30 minutes, still more preferably 0.2 to 25 minutes, and particularly preferably 0.2 to 20 minutes.

[0031] Furthermore, the optimal heat treatment time in the high temperature range (100 to 300°C) can be, for example, 0.01 to 0.5 minutes, preferably 0.015 to 0.5 minutes, more preferably 0.02 to 0.5 minutes, even more preferably 0.025 to 0.5 minutes, still more preferably 0.03 to 0.5 minutes, and particularly preferably 0.03 to 0.5 minutes.

[0032] For example, probiotics are preferably heat-treated at 80°C for 10 minutes or at 90°C for 15 seconds.

[0033] The heat treatment method is not particularly limited. For example, the obtained bacterial cells can be heated under predetermined conditions using a heat sterilization device such as a plate-type sterilizer, a tubular-type sterilizer, a direct heating sterilizer, or a jacketed tank.

[0034] To promote bowel movements in infants, the number of probiotic bacteria to be ingested should be, for example, 1 x 10 per day, in order of preference. 8 cfu or more, 1 × 10 8 ~1×10 12 cfu, 1 × 10 8 ~1×10 11 cfu, 5 × 10 8 ~5×10 11 cfu, 1 × 10 9 ~1×10 11 cfu, 1 × 10 9 ~1×10 10 cfu, 5 × 10 9 ~5×10 10 cfu, 6 × 10 9 ~4×10 10 cfu, 7 × 10 9 ~3×10 10 cfu, 8 × 10 9 ~2×10 10 cfu, 9 × 10 9 ~2×10 10 cfu.

[0035] The continuous intake period of the agent of the present invention is 2 weeks or more, preferably 3 weeks or more. The continuous intake period of the agent of the present invention is preferably 2 weeks or more but less than 8 weeks, more preferably 3 weeks or more but less than 8 weeks, even more preferably 3 weeks or more but less than 6 weeks, and particularly preferably 3 weeks or more but less than 5 weeks.

[0036] By taking the agent of the present invention for a period within the above range, a higher defecation promoting effect is exhibited in infants. 8 It is preferable to take probiotics containing more than cfu for at least 2 weeks, and 1×10 per day 8 cfu or more 1×10 11 It is more preferable to ingest less than 1×10 cfu for 2 weeks or more, and 9 cfu or more 1×10 10 It is more preferable to administer less than cfu continuously for at least two weeks.

[0037] The agent of the present invention is administered to infants from 0 to 10 days after birth, preferably from 3 to 7 days after birth, and more preferably from 4 to 6 days after birth.

[0038] Furthermore, when the agent of the present invention is administered to infants shortly after birth and then continuously administered, it exerts a defecation promoting effect on infants, for example, continuing from the start of administration until 12 months of age, more preferably from the start of administration until 18 months of age.

[0039] The agent of the present invention can be used alone or can be mixed with other ingredients to form a defecation promoting composition for infants of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as the composition of the present invention). The amount of the agent of the present invention in the composition of the present invention can be determined as desired depending on the purpose, use, form, dosage form, symptoms, body weight, etc.

[0040] The agent of the present invention can be blended in an amount of, for example, 0.001 to 90% (w / w), more preferably 0.001 to 50% (w / w), relative to the total amount of the composition of the present invention.

[0041] The agent or composition of the present invention can be administered either orally or parenterally (intramuscularly, subcutaneously, intravenously, via suppository, transdermally, etc.).

[0042] The agent or composition of the present invention can be used in the form of either a pharmaceutical or a food or drink. For example, it is expected to have a defecation-promoting effect on infants and young children when administered directly as a pharmaceutical or when ingested directly as a special-purpose food such as a food for specified health uses or a nutritional food. Examples of special-purpose foods and nutritional foods include infant formula, liquid food, food for the sick, infant formula, infant formula, food for young children, food for lactating women, supplements, and fortified foods.

[0043] When the agent or composition of the present invention is used as a pharmaceutical, examples of the form of oral administration include tablets, coated tablets, capsules, granules, powders, solutions, syrups, emulsions, etc. These various preparations can be prepared into oral preparations by formulating the probiotics and / or processed products as the main drug in accordance with conventional methods using known adjuvants that are commonly used in the technical field of pharmaceutical formulation, such as dispersants, excipients, binders, disintegrants, lubricants, colorants, flavorings, solubilizing agents, suspending agents, and coating agents.

[0044] In particular, the agent of the present invention is preferably used as a composition mixed with a dispersant. Examples of dispersants include milk proteins such as casein, soybean proteins, peptides, amino acids, starch, dextrin, xylan, oligosaccharides, sugars (glucose, lactose, sucrose, galactose, maltose), sugar alcohols (trehalose, xylitol, erythritol, palatinose, trehalulose, xylose), etc. Among dispersants, dextrin is particularly preferred. By using dextrin as a dispersant, powder can be granulated, handling such as dispersion and dissolution is easy, and long-term storage is also possible.

[0045] The dispersant, particularly dextrin, is preferably in the form of granules. Granules not only have high solubility but also high filling performance, allowing for small-volume packaging. Granules also have the advantage in manufacturing that they can be packaged accurately without variation in mass distribution simply by dropping them into a packaging material.

[0046] In the composition of the present invention, the mass ratio of the agent of the present invention to the dispersing agent is preferably 1:100 to 1:2, more preferably 1:100 to 1:10, and even more preferably 1:100 to 1:20. By setting the mass ratio of the agent of the present invention to the dispersing agent within the above range, the infection protection agent of the present invention can be dispersed efficiently.

[0047] For example, when the composition of the present invention containing the agent of the present invention and dextrin is orally administered, the composition of the present invention can be divided into predetermined amounts and packaged in packaging material to form a package (a package for promoting defecation for infants and young children), which can then be administered. In the present invention, it is preferable to package the composition in a single-use amount, or to package multiple pieces so that each piece is a single-use amount, and it is particularly preferable to package the composition in a single-use amount.

[0048] When the agent and composition of the present invention are added to a food composition, they may be added to various foods and drinks (milk, soft drinks, fermented milk, yogurt, cheese, bread, biscuits, crackers, pizza crust, infant formula, liquid food, food for the sick, infant formula, infant formula, food such as infant formula, food such as breastfeeding powder, nutritional food, etc.) and then ingested. The agent and composition of the present invention can be used as is or mixed with other foods or food ingredients in the usual manner for ordinary food compositions.

[0049] The agent of the present invention may be in any form commonly used in foods and beverages, such as a solid (powder, granules, etc.), a paste, a liquid, or a suspension. By adopting such a form, the agent of the present invention can be ingested without causing any psychological disturbance.

[0050] The agent or composition of the present invention can also be used as a composition in which it is mixed with water, proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, minerals, organic acids, organic bases, fruit juice, flavors, etc., which have no side effects.

[0051] Examples of proteins include whole milk powder, skim milk powder, partially skim milk powder, casein, whey powder, whey protein, whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, α-casein, β-casein, κ-casein, β-lactoglobulin, α-lactalbumin, lactoferrin, soy protein, egg protein, meat protein, and other animal and plant proteins, as well as their hydrolysates; and various milk-derived components such as butter, dairy minerals, cream, whey, non-protein nitrogen, sialic acid, phospholipids, and lactose. All components with a proven track record of use as pharmaceuticals or foods and beverages and without side effects are applicable. Furthermore, two or more of these components can be used in combination.

[0052] Examples of carbohydrates include sugars, modified starch (dextrin, soluble starch, British starch, oxidized starch, starch ester, starch ether, etc.), and dietary fiber.

[0053] Examples of lipids include animal fats and oils such as lard, fish oil, and fractionated, hydrogenated, and interesterified oils thereof; and vegetable fats and oils such as palm oil, safflower oil, corn oil, rapeseed oil, coconut oil, fractionated, hydrogenated, and interesterified oils thereof.

[0054] Examples of vitamins include vitamin A, carotenes, B vitamins, vitamin C, D vitamins, vitamin E, K vitamins, vitamin P, vitamin Q, niacin, nicotinic acid, pantothenic acid, biotin, inositol, choline, and folic acid.

[0055] Examples of minerals include calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, copper, iron, manganese, zinc, and selenium.

[0056] Examples of organic acids include malic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, and tartaric acid. All of these acids that have a proven track record of use as pharmaceuticals or food and drink and have no side effects can be used. These ingredients can also be used in combination of two or more.

[0057] When the agent or composition of the present invention is provided as a food or pharmaceutical product, the production method can be performed by a method well known to those skilled in the art. Those skilled in the art can produce the desired food or pharmaceutical product by appropriately combining steps such as mixing the probiotic or processed product of the present invention with other ingredients, molding, sterilizing, fermenting, baking, drying, cooling, granulating, and packaging.

[0058] Furthermore, the agent or composition of the present invention can also be applied to health functional foods and foods for the sick. The health functional foods system was established based on domestic and international trends and consistency with the existing system of foods for specified health uses, and covers not only ordinary foods but also foods in the form of tablets, capsules, etc., and consists of two types: foods for specified health uses (individually approved type) and foods with nutrient functions (standardized type). Direct ingestion of the agent or composition of the present invention as a special purpose food such as a food for specified health use or a food with nutrient functions is expected to exert an infection prevention effect.

[0059] When the agent and composition of the present invention are added to infant formula, the form may be, for example, infant formula, peptide milk, follow-up milk, growing-up milk, infant formula for low birth weight, lactose-free milk powder, low-sodium special milk powder, and oral compositions for preventing infection in infants, and are not particularly limited as long as the effects and efficacy of the present invention can be expected. The agent and composition of the present invention can also be added to foods and beverages other than infant formula, for example, yogurt and confectioneries.

[0060] The probiotics, which are the active ingredients of the present invention, may be used as an additive to pharmaceutical compositions, foods and beverages that are common eating habits and are expected to have few side effects, or compositions that are expected to protect against infection, and can be taken orally or through a tube.

[0061] The probiotics, which are the active ingredients of the present invention, exhibit the above-mentioned excellent effects and efficacy not only in humans but also in mammals (mammals). Therefore, the present invention also relates to feed and feed additives containing probiotics as an active ingredient, and in particular to milk powder and milk powder additives for feeding mammals. [Example]

[0062] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, although the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0063] The sample was a live bacterial preparation containing Bifidobacterium bifidum OLB6378 strain (accession number: NITE BP-31) (product name: Meiji Bifidobacterium OLB6378; one bottle (0.5 g) contained 5 × 10 live bacteria). 9 cfu) was used. The patients were divided into two groups: a sample administration group (n=15) and a non-administration group (n=15). In the administration group, administration of the sample began at 5 days of age and continued daily, once in the morning and once in the evening (twice a day), until the patients reached 1 month of age. The sample was dissolved in 2 mL of warm water, and 1 mL of this was administered orally with a dropper. In contrast, the non-administration group did not receive any sample.

[0064] Both groups underwent a medical examination at the age of 1 year (12-13 months old), and the percentage of days on which they had a bowel movement up to the age of 1 year was calculated using the formula below. Note that this examination was performed excluding patients who dropped out during the study, and n=15 was used for both the sample administration group and the non-administration group. Percentage of days with bowel movements (%) = {Number of days with bowel movements / (Number of days with bowel movements + Number of days without bowel movements)} x 100 Here, the number of days with defecation means the number of days on which defecation occurred from the start of the test until the age of one year, and the number of days without defecation means the number of days on which no defecation occurred from the start of the test until the age of one year.

[0065] As a result of the test, the percentage of days with bowel movements was 84.0% in the non-administered group, while it was 92.4% in the administered group, a result that was significantly higher in the administered group than in the non-administered group (p=0.034).These results showed that by starting the administration of probiotics to infants 0-10 days old and continuing to take them for more than two weeks, it is possible to promote bowel movements in infants.

[0066] Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the number of diarrhea episodes or the number of days of diarrhea between the sample-administered group and the non-administered group, and it was found that the higher percentage of days with bowel movements in the above-mentioned administration group was not the result of promoting the onset of diarrhea.

Claims

1. A defecation promoter for infants containing Bifidobacterium bifidum OLB6378 strain (Bifidobacterium bifidum, accession number: NITE BP-31), which is used to increase the number of days on which a defecation occurs when infants aged 0 to 10 days after birth are given the defecation promoter for two weeks or more.

2. The defecation promoter for infants according to claim 1, wherein the Bifidobacterium bifidum OLB6378 strain is a live bacterium.

3. 1 x 10 per day 8 3. The defecation promoter for infants according to claim 1, wherein the Bifidobacterium bifidum OLB6378 strain is administered in a bacterial count of at least cfu.

4. The defecation promoter for infants according to any one of claims 1 to 3, for promoting defecation in infants up to 18 months of age.

5. A defecation promoting composition for infants, comprising the defecation promoting agent for infants according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A package for promoting defecation for infants, comprising the composition for promoting defecation for infants according to claim 5 packaged in a packaging material.