BLC launches solution for tailored infant formula as it spots growing personalization trend

The solution, called Betapol Select, is an innovation that allows manufacturers to adjust to the regional differences in mother’s milk that are influenced by mother’s diet.

At present, the product has been designed to mimic the natural balance in Chinese mother’s milk fat and has initially launched for Chinese babies. China’s is the largest and most sophisticated infant formula market, accounting for almost half of all formula sales globally. 

Other markets including Europe will follow, although the product is available for European infant formula manufacturers who sell to China (it’s estimated around 80{b4bb8ddb70249670c85c66def16f765bd40a90ddaa69bcee7e340d9a7e1b07a9} of infant formulas made in Europe are exported to China.) 

Growing personalization trend in infant nutrition

Nestle, for one, has spotted the opportunities presented by personalization in infant nutrition. The head of Nestle’s Nutrition business Thierry Philardeau recently told FoodNavigator​ that personalized nutrition strategies will be a ‘game-changing’ breakthrough in the breast milk substitute category.

“Understanding the evolution of microbiome and its impact on health and development during the first 1000 days of life will help us develop more personalized nutritional solutions,”​ he said.

“We are also currently exploring how a mother’s diet can influence nutrients found in breast milk, in order to help us develop personalized solutions for mothers during preconception, pregnancy and while breastfeeding.”

BLC’s latest innovation ‘sets a new standard in infant nutrition market towards much higher level of personalization and higher nutritional standards’, the company told FoodNavigator.