Optimise health outcomes

The first 1,000 days of life, from conception to a child’s second birthday, is a unique window of opportunity to positively influence the health of the child. 

Studies show that a healthy, balanced diet and lifestyle during pregnancy and lactation, induce long-term positive health outcomes, including brain development^1,2.

During this period, the mother is the primary source of nutrition for the developing baby – so her dietary choices are particularly important.

Support brain development

Complex lipids such as phospholipids, sphingomyelin, gangliosides and cholesterol play an important role for neurodevelopment and function^3,4.

Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) is a triple phospholipid membrane made up of phospholipids, glycolipids, proteins and glycoproteins, providing essential building blocks for neuronal and cognitive development.

Product launches on the rise

Despite being a relatively small market, maternal nutrition food and drink product launches have increased 13 percent in compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2014 and 2018. In fact, these product launches almost doubled between 2017 and 2018⁵.And in 2018, the two most sought-after product attributes in maternal nutrition were convenience and brain health⁵.

Smart concepts

Arla Foods Ingredients has developed two new concepts containing the ingredient Lacprodan^® MFGM-10: Smart Mama drink and Smart Mama bar. With these two ready-to-market prototypes available today, you have the opportunity to launch a premium functional product and enter a rapidly growing market. Including these concepts as part of your brand offering can play a strategic role in your early-life nutrition brand equity.

The two Smart Mama concepts containing Lacprodan^® MFGM-10 offer you the following product benefits:

• 4g MFGM (280 mg phospholipids and min. 8 mg gangliosides)
• Convenient
• Great taste
• Stable at ambient temperatures (Smart Mama drink is UHT treated)
• Supports cognitive development

In addition to supporting brain development, MFGM has proven benefits for gastrointestinal health and immune system maturation in infants.

Meaningful products for the next generation – and for your brand

Maternal nutrition affects the development of the baby, so a product that is designed specifically to optimise a mother’s diet, and which includes MFGM, is a step in the right direction. Further, your maternal nutrition product range can strengthen your early-life nutrition brand equity by generating brand awareness early in the mother’s journey.

References

1. Koletzko et al., 2019
2. Cusick and Georgieff, 2016
3. Hungund et al., 1993
4. Michell et al., 2012
5. Innova Market Insights, 2019