title: Effect of a Fermented Formula on Thymus Size and Stool pH in Healthy Term Infants Increased Poliovirus-Specific Intestinal Antibody Response Coincides with Promotion of Bifidobacterium longum-infantis and Bifidobacterium breve in Infants: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial High faecal calprotectin concentrations in newborn infants Effects of Long-term Consumption of a Fermented Infant Formula (with Bifidobacterium breve c50 and Streptococcus thermophilus 065) on Acute Diarrhea in Healthy Infants Immunomodulatory effects of the intake of fermented milk with Lactobacillus casei DN114001 in lactating mothers and their children. A non-hydrolyzed, fermented milk formula reduces digestive and respiratory events in infants at high risk of allergy [Intake of fermented milk containing Lactobacillus casei DN-114 001 and its effect on gut flora]. Gastric emptying in infants with or without gastro-oesophageal reflux according to the type of milk.
abstract: To investigate the effects of fermented formula ( FF ) with Bifidobacterium breve C50 and Streptococcus thermophilus 065 on thymus size and stool pH of healthy term infants , ultrasound examinations and evaluations of thymus sizes and thymus indices ( TI ) and measurements of stool pH were performed in the same 90 term neonates on the 3rd d of life and on the 1st , 2nd , 3rd , and 4th mo of life . Thirty newborns were exclusively breast-fed while the remaining 60 were r and omly assigned to receive either a FF or a st and ard formula ( SF ) . The fecal pH of the breast-fed group was lower than the SF group ( p < 0.05 ) , although it was similar to that of the FF group on the third postnatal day , persisting for the entire 4 mo of the study . The difference in TI was statistically significant over repeated measurements among the groups . The FF infants showed a TI similar to the breast-fed newborns . Probiotic fermentation products have effects comparable to those of the bacteria composing the intestinal microflora supporting the idea that intestinal bacterial balance plays an important role in improving host immune responses To determine whether the size of the intestinal bifidobacterial population can influence the immune response to  poliovirus vaccination in infants , we set up a r and omized , placebo-controlled trial . From birth to 4 mo , infants were given a fermented infant formula ( FIF ) or a st and ard formula ( placebo ) . Bifidobacteria were quantified monthly in infant stools . Antipoliovirus IgA response to Pentacoq ® was assessed before and 1 mo after the second vaccine injection . Thirty infants were r and omized , and 20 completed the study ( nine in the placebo group and 11 in the FIF group ) . Fecal bifidobacterial level was significantly higher with the FIF group at 4 mo of age ( p = 0.0498 ) . Furthermore , B. longum/B. infantis carriage was higher at 4 mo in the FIF group ( p = 0.0399 ) . Antipoliovirus IgA titers increased after Pentacoq ® challenge ( p < 0.001 ) , and the rise was significantly higher in the FIF group ( p < 0.02 ) . Antibody titers correlated with bifidobacteria , especially with B. longum/B. infantis and B. breve levels ( p < 0.002 ) . Infants who harbored B. longum/B. infantis also exhibited higher levels of antipoliovirus IgAs ( p < 0.002 ) . In conclusion , the present results indicate that antipoliovirus response can be triggered with a fermented formula that is able to favor intestinal bifidobacteria . Whether this effect on the immune system is achieved through the bifidogenic effect of the formula ( mainly through B. longum/B. infantis and B. breve stimulation ) or directly linked to compounds ( i.e. peptides ) produced by milk fermentation remains to be investigated Background : Calprotectin , a major component of soluble cytosolic proteins in human neutrophil granulocytes , is excreted in excess in stools during inflammatory bowel disease in adults and children .  Faecal calprotectin concentrations are also higher during the first year of life than in adults . Objectives : To measure faecal calprotectin concentrations in the neonatal period and define reference values according to the mode of feeding : st and ard infant formula , prebiotic infant formula ( Calisma , Blédina SA , France ) , or breast feeding . Patients and methods : A prospect i ve study was carried out over three months in 69 full term , healthy newborns with a median gestational age of 39.8 weeks ( range 37–41.5 ) and a birth weight of 3300 g ( range 2600–4460 ) . Three groups were formed depending on the mode of feeding : group 1 ( n = 18 ) received a st and ard infant formula , group 2 ( n = 19 ) the prebiotic infant formula , and group 3 ( n = 32 ) was breast fed . One stool sample was taken from each newborn on day 4 ( 3–7 ) , and faecal calprotectin analysed using a commercial enzyme linked immunoassay ( Calprest , Eurospital , Italy ) . Results : Faecal calprotectin concentrations ( median 167 µg/g ) were higher than reference values in healthy adults . The concentration was below the upper reference limit for adults ( 50 µg/g ) for three infants only , one fed the st and ard formula and two fed the prebiotic formula . Concentrations did not differ significantly according to method of feeding . Conclusions : Compared with healthy adults , newborns have high calprotectin concentrations in the first days of life . There is no obvious influence of the mode of feeding Objective : To determine whether long-term consumption of a fermented infant formula could influence the incidence of  acute diarrhea  and its severity in healthy infants . Method : Nine hundred seventy-one infants , ranging in age from 4 to 6 months , were included in a r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled trial during a period of 5 months . They consumed daily either a fermented infant formula ( FF ) ( fermentation with Bifidobacterium breve C50 and Streptococcus thermophilus 065 ) or a st and ard infant formula ( SF ) of the same nutritional composition . Evaluation Criteria : Number and duration of acute diarrhea episodes were evaluated . Severity of the episodes was determined by the number of hospital admissions , incidence of dehydration , number of medical consultations , number of oral rehydration solution prescriptions , and number of formula switches . Results : Growth of the infants and acceptability of the formulas were identical in the two groups . Incidence , duration of diarrhea episodes , and number of hospital admissions did not differ significantly between groups . Episodes were less severe in the FF ( fermented formula ) group . There were fewer cases of dehydration 2.5%versus 6.1 % ( P = 0.01 ) , fewer medical consultations ( 46%v 56.6 % , P = 0.003 ) , fewer ORS prescriptions 41.9%v 51.9 % ( P = 0.003 ) and fewer switches to other formulas ( 59.5%v 74.9 % , P = 0.0001 ) in FF infants compared to SF . Conclusion : A fermented formula may reduce the severity of acute diarrhea among healthy young infants . This outcome may be linked to the bifidogenic effects of fermentation products and their interactions with the intestinal immune system The healthy action of probiotics is not only due to their nutritional properties and their influence on the gastrointestinal environment , but also to their action on the immune system . The aim of the present study was to determine if 6 weeks of probiotic intake would be able to modulate the immune system in women who had recently delivered and were breast-feeding . The design consisted of a r and omised , controlled and double-blind nutritional intervention study with parallel groups with a sample size of 104 women . The main variable is the T helper type 1/T helper type 2 ( Th1/Th2 ) profile determined by measuring interferon-gamma ( Th1 ) and IL-4 ( Th2 ) values in peripheral blood by flow cytometry . The modifications of cytokines were evaluated in maternal milk by cytometric bead array in a flow cytometer and ELISA at three stages of breast-feeding : colostrum , early milk ( 10 d ) and mature milk ( 45 d ) . Additionally , the anthropometry and infectious and allergic episodes in the newborn were followed up throughout the first 6 months of life . After the consumption of milk fermented with Lactobacillus casei during the puerperium , we observed a nonsignificant increase in T and B lymphocytes and a significant increase in natural killer cells . A decrease in the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha in maternal milk and fewer gastrointestinal disturbances were also observed in the breast-fed child of the mothers who consumed L. casei . The intake of milk fermented with L. casei during the lactation period modestly contributes to the modulation of the mother 's immunological response after delivery and decreases the incidence of gastrointestinal episodes in the breast-fed child Background / Objectives : To determine the impact of a not hydrolyzed fermented infant formula containing heat-killed Bifidobacterium breve C50 and Streptococcus thermophilus 065 ( HKBBST ) on the incidence of allergy-like events during the first 2 years of life in children at high risk of atopy . Subjects/ Methods : This multicenter , r and omized , double-blind , controlled study included infants at high risk of atopy . Infants used HKBBST or a st and ard infant formula ( SIF ) since birth until 1 year of age , and were followed at 4 , 12 and 24 months after birth .  Skin prick tests ( SPTs ) for six foods and six aeroallergens were systematic ally performed and adverse events ( AEs ) were recorded . In case of potentially allergic AE ( PAAE ) , allergy could be further tested by SPT , patch tests and quantification of specific IgEs . If cow 's milk allergy ( CMA ) was suspected , an oral challenge could also be performed . Results : The study included 129 children , 63 were r and omized to SIF , 66 to HKBBST . The use of HKBBST milk did not alter the proportion of CMA but decreased the proportion of positive SPT to cow 's milk ( 1.7 vs 12.5 % , P=0.03 ) , and the incidence of digestive ( 39 vs 63 % , P=0.01 ) and respiratory potentially allergic AEs ( 7 vs 21 % , P=0.03 ) at 12 months , and that of respiratory PAAEs at 24 months ( 13 vs 35 % , P=0.01 ) . Conclusions : HKBBST decreased the incidence of PAAEs in children with family history of atopy , during the first months of life and after the formula was stopped . Oral tolerance to cow 's milk in infants at high risk of atopy may therefore be improved using not hydrolyzed fermented formulae OBJECTIVE To study the gut flora in infants who received fermented milk containing Lactobacillus casei and Streptococcus termophilus  and its effect on secretory immunoglobulin levels . MATERIAL AND METHODS An experimental , r and omized , prospect i ve , parallel group study was carried out . Thirty-five infants were included ( 18 in the treatment group and 17 in the control group ) with a mean age of 2 years ( SD : 0.6 years ; range : 1 - 3 years ) . The experimental group received both fermented milk ( 0.5 l/day ) containing L. casei and S. termophilus for 6 weeks and st and ard cow 's milk for the following 6 weeks . The control group received st and ard cow 's milk ( 0.5 l/day ) for 12 weeks . Secretory IgA levels in saliva were evaluated in the experimental group at the start of the study ( baseline levels ) and 6 weeks later . In both groups , stools were collected to study gut flora at 0 , 6 and 12 week . RESULTS Secretory IgA levels significantly increased ( p = 0.0063 ) from a mean baseline value of 2.5 mg/dl to a mean of 3.4 mg/dl at 6 weeks . Gram-negative aerobic flora were decreased in the experimental group after 6 weeks compared with the control group ( p = 0.0203 ) . The number of infants with Lactobacillus spp in their gut flora was greater in the experimental group than in the control group at week 6 and this difference was statistically significant ( p = 0.028 ) at week 12 . Conclusion The present study provides evidence of L. casei survival in the gastrointestinal tract and of its effect of increasing secretory The present study was design ed to determine the effects of milk composition and the influence of  gastro-oesophageal reflux ( GOR )  on gastric emptying .  Cineoesogastrocintigraphy ( COGS ) was performed in 201 infants between 0 - 1 year of age in order to detect GOR , and provided a means of estimation of the gastric emptying ( GE ) .  Ninety infants appeared free from GOR and constituted the control group ; 111 had GOR . There infants were fed human milk or various st and ard formulae . In addition , 20 infants fed a whey-hydrolysate formula were tested . An appropriate volume of milk was marked with sulfur-colloid Tc ( 200 microcuries ) . Measurements of gastric radioactivity were made 30 min and 120 min after ingestion . For the whole population , the infants with GOR had slightly more rapid GE after 30 min ( P less than 0.05 ) , but , for the same type of milk , there was no significant difference between GOR and controls . GE did not differ with age or sex , but differed mainly according to the type of milk . In the control group , gastric residual content ( GRC ) at 120 min was 18 + /- 11 per cent with human milk ( n = 7 ) , 16 + /- 21 per cent with whey-hydrolysate formula ( n = 8) , 25 + /- 17 per cent with acidified formula ( n = 13 ) , 26 + /- 19 per cent with whey-predominant formula ( n = 22 ) , 39 + /- 17 per cent with casein-predominant formulae ( n = 20 ) , 47 + /- 19 per cent with follow-up formulae ( n = 16 ) and 55 + /- 19 per cent with cow 's milk ( n = 12 ) . ( ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS
target: Fermented formula has the potential to reduce some , albeit not well-defined , digestive symptoms .
  Current evidence does not support the use of fermented formula for preventing cow ’s milk allergy .
  Conclusion : Limited available evidence suggests that the use of fermented infant formula , compared with the use of st and ard infant formula , does not offer clear additional benefits , although some benefit on gastrointestinal symptoms can not be excluded .
  What is new• Limited evidence available suggests that the use of fermented infant formula , compared with the use of st and ard infant formula , does not offer clear additional benefits , although some benefit on gastrointestinal symptoms can not be excluded .
  At the same time , no negative health effects have been documented
background: Abstract Fermented formulas , i.e. , those fermented with lactic acid-producing bacteria during the production process and not containing significant amounts of viable bacteria in the final product , are widely available in many countries .
  Our aim was to systematic ally review published evidence related to the safety and health effects of the administration of fermented infant formulas compared with st and ard infant formulas .