Valio’s fat similarity index illustrates the benefits of milk fat in infant milk formula

Breast milk is the best choice when it comes to feeding infants and IMF products aim to imitate it as closely as possible to ensure babies have an optimal start in life. The many different fat compounds in breast milk have a beneficial impact on the growth and development of the infant, including brain development and gut health. Comparison between the benefits of different fat sources in IMF is difficult, but there is a way to compare them with only one number: the fat similarity index.

Comparing different IMF fat sources has been difficult due to the variety of fat compounds and the different properties they contain.

The fat similarity index is a simple indicator of fat composition

The similarity index *1 provides a simple way to compare the composition of infant formulas and breast milk.

When applied to the fat composition, the fat similarity index compares the similarities of milk fat and vegetable oils to fat compounds in breast milk with a numerical value *2 that is easy to compare.

Breast milk equals 1. The closer the index number is to 1, the more similar the fat composition is to that of breast milk.

The fat similarity index clearly shows that for commercially available milk-fat-based IMFs the index is significantly higher and closer to that of breast milk than the index of vegetable- oil-based IMF.

Selected lipids provide a comprehensive comparison

The following four lipids were selected for the fat similarity index because they have demonstrated health benefits and have been shown to be essential for normal growth and development of infants.

Phospholipids

The milk fat globule membrane (MFGM), which surrounds fat globules in mammal milk, is rich in bioactive components, such as phospholipids *3. Some phospholipids such as sphingomyelin, which is needed for brain development, is present in breast milk fat and milk fat, but not in vegetable oil fats.

Short- and medium-chain fatty acids

Medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) content is also a differentiating factor between milk fat and most vegetable fats. MCFAs are easily digested and absorbed by infants and oxidized to energy faster than long chain fatty acid. Early-life intake of MCFAs may also protect against obesity and metabolic disorder in adulthood. *4

Cholesterol is essential for growth and development. Low dietary intake of cholesterol during infancy up-regulates endogenous cholesterol synthesis, resulting in higher blood cholesterol levels in adolescence and adulthood. *5

Sn-2 fatty acids (including OPO)

Milk-fat-based infant formulas also contain natural OPO *6, which enhances the absorption of nutrients, gut wellbeing, and healthy growth *7. In vegetable-oil-based formulas this level is very low.