Age-Tailored Infant Formula System with Adaptive HMO Levels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current infant formulae fail to mimic the evolving nutritional quality of breast milk over time, particularly in terms of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), as their HMO content is not age-tailored, leading to inadequate nutritional support for infants as their needs change during the lactation period.

Innovation Solution

An age-tailored nutritional composition system comprising multiple formulations with varying HMO levels, specifically designed for different age groups from 0 to 12 months, mirroring the natural decrease of HMOs in breast milk, with distinct HMO concentrations in each formulation to match the infant's evolving needs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a single infant formula composition is used throughout the lactation period, then manufacturing and distribution is simplified, but the nutritional quality does not match the evolving needs of infants as their requirements change with age

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to infant's evolving nutritional needsVSAvoidcomplexity of nutritional composition system
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the single infant formula into multiple age-specific formulations (0-1 month, 1-2 months, 2-4 months, 4-12 months), each with tailored HMO concentrations. This segmentation allows the nutritional composition to adapt to the infant's changing needs at different developmental stages while maintaining manageable complexity through standardized formulation approaches for each age group.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic adjustment of HMO concentrations across different age groups, transitioning from higher concentrations in early infancy to lower concentrations as the infant matures. This dynamic approach mirrors the natural evolution of breast milk composition and aligns nutritional support with the infant's developing digestive and immune systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If high levels of HMOs are provided in infant formula, then immune system maturation and gut microbiota development are enhanced, but the risk of digestive side effects increases for young infants

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehealth benefit reliabilityVSAvoiddigestive side effects
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing different HMO concentrations tailored to specific age groups rather than a uniform concentration. Early infancy formulations (0-2 months) contain lower HMO levels appropriate for developing digestive systems, while later formulations (4-12 months) can incorporate higher concentrations as the infant's tolerance increases, optimizing health benefits while minimizing side effects at each developmental stage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent systematically varies the HMO concentration parameter across different age-specific formulations. By adjusting this critical parameter to match the infant's maturing digestive capacity and nutritional requirements at each age group, the patent maximizes the reliability of health benefits while controlling the risk of digestive adverse effects through progressive parameter optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS10820616B2Infant formula system with adaptive levels of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs)
Publication Date: 2020.11.03 SOCIETE DES PRODUITS NESTLE SA
  • US10820616B2 patent drawing
  • US10820616B2 patent drawing
  • US10820616B2 patent drawing

AI summary

This invention relates to an age-tailored nutritional composition system comprising an adaptive level of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOS) and a method for preparing said system. The age-tailored nutritional composition system comprises at least two nutritional compositions for infants of a certain age, which differ from each other in the amount of HMOs present therein. It is specifically adapted to the evolving nutritional needs of infants from their birth to the end of the breast feeding period.