Betapol approved for use in infant formula in China

Tag : infant nutrition
The product is a vegetable fat blend specifically designed to mimicthe structure of the natural fat found in human breast milk. Infact, the company markets it as "the closest match to mother's milkfat" .

It has long been available for use in Europe and many Asiancounties, and Lipid Nutrition started the process for approval in China three years ago, considering the market there as beingincreasingly interesting with ample opportunities.

John Kurstjens, global marketing manager, toldNutraIngredients.com: "Chinese companies are looking for new ingredients to improve their infant formula products, and we have already had a lot of interest. We expectBetapol to be introduced onto the market sometime very soon thisyear."

Chinese market

Interest in the Chinese market has grown across the industry as thecountry experiences rapid economic growth.

Kurstjens explained that demand for infant nutrition has alsodramatically increased as consumers are able to spend more and ithas become increasingly common for Chinese women to work.

Katinka Abbenbroek, CEO at Lipid Nutrition, said: "The Chinese approval means a lot to us, as we are now the firstcompany that can offer this unique and one-of-a-kind product in China . Fuelled by economic growth, many Chinese parents want to providethe very best for their infants."

She added that about 50 per cent of Chinese babies haveconstipation problems, and Betapol will be able to help with this.

Earlier this month, Irish dairy and ingredients group Glanbia alsoinvested in the infant formula market in China, establishing itsfirst plant in China, which will focus on manufacturing nutritionalpremixes to be used in infant formula.

Betapol

Betapol was developed to overcome the problems associated with poorfatty acid absorption from infant formula and the negativeconsequences of this on energy supply, stool consistency and bonedevelopment.

Lipid Nutrition has carried out studies in animals and newbornbabies that have shown all the fatty acids in Betapol - includingpalmitic acid - are well absorbed into the bloodstream, and onlytiny quantities are lost in the faeces.

This therefore improves the absorption of dietary calcium andreduces the amount of calcium lost in the stools, leading togreater bone mineral density.