Native Whey Protein Composition for Infant Formula Gastrointestinal Tolerance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Commercial infant formulas often cause gastrointestinal intolerance in premature and low birth weight infants due to differences in protein composition and processing compared to human milk, leading to issues like delayed gastric emptying and increased coagulation in the stomach.

Innovation Solution

A native whey protein composition comprising beta-casein and native whey protein, subjected to mild heat treatment and pasteurization, is used to improve gastrointestinal tolerance by reducing coagulation and enhancing gastric emptying, which is incorporated into infant formulas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If bovine milk is used to make infant formula with standard processing, then microbial safety is ensured and protein composition is adjusted, but gastrointestinal intolerance occurs due to excessive coagulation and delayed gastric emptying

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemicrobial safetyVSAvoidgastrointestinal intolerance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies mild heat treatment at controlled temperatures (e.g., 60-70°C for 5-15 minutes) to modify the thermal parameters of whey protein processing. This parameter change preserves more native whey protein structure compared to conventional high-temperature processing, thereby reducing excessive gastric coagulation while maintaining microbial safety through controlled pasteurization conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite protein composition by combining native whey protein with beta-casein in specific ratios (e.g., 70:30 to 90:10). This composite material mimics the human milk protein profile more closely than conventional bovine milk-based formulas, improving gastrointestinal tolerance while maintaining nutritional adequacy and microbial safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If extensive heat treatment is applied to whey protein, then microbial safety is improved, but nativity of whey protein decreases leading to worse gastrointestinal tolerance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemicrobial safetyVSAvoidnativity of whey protein

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements mild heat treatment with controlled temperature (60-70°C) and time (5-15 minutes) parameters that are sufficient to ensure microbial safety through pasteurization while preserving the native structure of whey protein. This contrasts with extensive heat treatment that would denature the protein and worsen gastrointestinal tolerance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If casein is reduced in infant formula, then gastric coagulation is reduced, but nutritional value decreases since casein is the highest standard protein

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegastric coagulationVSAvoidnutritional value

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates an optimized composite protein system combining native whey protein and beta-casein in ratios that reduce excessive gastric coagulation while preserving high nutritional value. The native whey protein component reduces coagulation issues, while the beta-casein component maintains nutritional adequacy, together achieving both goals simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent selectively modifies the protein composition by specifically reducing alpha-casein and kappa-casein while maintaining or increasing beta-casein content. This local quality adjustment targets the specific caseins that contribute to excessive coagulation while preserving the nutritional benefits of casein proteins overall.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 native whey protein composition significantly improves gastrointestinal tolerance by reducing coagulation and enhancing gastric emptying, effectively addressing gastrointestinal intolerance in infants, particularly preterm infants, by mimicking the protein profile of human milk more closely.

Implementation Method 1

wherein the native whey protein composition has been pasteurized

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPasteurization: Heat Treatment

Implementation Method 2

reduced the rate and extent of gastric coagulation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCoagulation: Coagulation

Data Source

PatentUS20230380438A1Native whey protein composition for improving gastro-intestinal tolerance

Publication Date: 2023.11.30 NV NUTRICIA

AI summary

The invention concerns a native whey protein composition with profound amounts of native whey protein and with beta-casein for use in the treatment and/or prevention of gastrointestinal intolerance. The inventors found that the native whey protein composition relatively high in beta-casein and low in kappa- and alpha-casein provides a beneficial effect on gastrointestinal intolerance.