Lactoferrin-Acid Milk Protein Complexes for Infant Sleep
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current infant formulas fail to effectively mimic the nocturnal composition of human milk, leading to sleep disturbances and inadequate energy balance in infants and young children, as they struggle to provide a homogeneous dispersion of lactoferrin with acid milk proteins and fail to replicate the circadian rhythm of nutrient delivery.
Innovation Solution
A nutritional composition is developed with ionic complexes of lactoferrin and acid milk proteins, specifically designed to have a negative charge at the pH of infant formula, which forms stable complexes that slow protein digestion and release micronutrients like tryptophan, iron, zinc, and vitamin D, while reducing sleep-disrupting nutrients like potassium and vitamin B12, thereby promoting satiety and improved sleep quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If lactoferrin is added to infant formula to provide health benefits, then immune development and gut maturation are improved, but homogeneous dispersion of lactoferrin with acid milk proteins becomes difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses acid milk proteins (casein and whey proteins) as intermediary substances that facilitate the dispersion and stabilization of lactoferrin in the formula. These proteins act as mediators between lactoferrin and the aqueous environment, preventing aggregation and ensuring homogeneous distribution throughout the formula system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite protein structures by combining lactoferrin with acid milk proteins (casein and whey proteins) to form stable complexes. This composite approach allows lactoferrin to be integrated into the existing protein matrix of the formula, maintaining both its biological activity and homogeneous dispersion.
2Quantity of substance
If current infant formulas are used to provide adequate nutrition, then energy balance is maintained, but sleep quality deteriorates due to inability to mimic nocturnal human milk composition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the temporal and compositional parameters of the formula by introducing circadian rhythm modulation. It adjusts the release patterns of nutrients (particularly tryptophan, iron, zinc, and vitamin D) to match nocturnal human milk composition, creating different nutritional profiles for day and night feedings to optimize both growth and sleep quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic variation in nutrient delivery by incorporating circadian rhythm principles. The formula system provides different nutritional compositions at different times of day, with night feedings specifically enriched in sleep-promoting nutrients and depleted in sleep-disrupting nutrients, creating a rhythmic pattern that mirrors natural human milk secretion.
3Reliability
If nutrients are provided to support growth and development, then immune system and gastrointestinal functions are enhanced, but nocturnal awakenings increase due to elevated potassium and vitamin B12 levels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality modification by creating different nutritional compositions for different feeding times. Night feedings specifically reduce potassium and vitamin B12 levels while maintaining essential nutrients for growth, whereas day feedings provide full nutritional value. This temporal differentiation allows the formula to be optimized for both growth support and sleep promotion in different contexts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent selectively removes or reduces specific nutrients (potassium and vitamin B12) from the night feeding formulation while maintaining other essential nutrients. This extraction of sleep-disrupting nutrients from the nighttime composition allows the formula to support growth during day feedings while promoting sleep during night feedings.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composition enhances sleep quality by reducing nocturnal awakenings and improving circadian rhythm alignment, ensuring balanced nutrition without impacting growth, immune development, or gastrointestinal functions, and is suitable for infants and young children as a daily dietary solution.
Implementation Method 1
forms stable complexes that slow protein digestion and release micronutrients like tryptophan, iron, zinc, and vitamin D
Implementation Method 2
ionic complexes of lactoferrin with acid milk proteins, said complexes having a negative charge at the pH of the infant formula
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a nutritional composition for infants and young children comprising proteins, carbohydrates and lipids, wherein said proteins comprise ionic complexes of lactoferrin with acid milk proteins, said complexes having a negative charge at the pH of the infant formula. The nutritional composition is used for providing a satiety feeling and/or a better sleep and/or limiting nocturnal awaking in infants or young children.