Scientists Propose Microalgae for Infant Formula

A breast milk substitute for infant feeding could be produced using oils derived from the microalga Vischeria punctata, according to scientists from the K.A. Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. These substances may improve the digestibility of infant formulas for newborns, the Russian Science Foundation (RSF) told RIA Novosti. The findings were published in Functional Plant Biology.

Palmitic acid is essential for healthy infant development, notes Roman Sidorov, Head of the Lipid Metabolism Laboratory and Leading Researcher at the K.A. Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

“Infants primarily absorb palmitic acid from the fat of breast milk, where it occupies a central position in triacylglycerols. In the vegetable oils used in modern infant formulas for artificial feeding, this acid is located at the outer positions, which worsens its absorption,” the scientist explained.

He added that this may lead not only to digestive problems, such as constipation in some children, but also to disturbances in calcium metabolism—an element vital for skeletal development.

According to Sidorov, until recently the only fat structurally similar to breast milk fat was beta-palmitate derived from pork lard; however, its use is limited due to the religious and ethical beliefs of some people.

Scientists at the Institute of Plant Physiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences have proposed using fats from the microalga Vischeria punctata to improve the quality of infant formulas. When these organisms are cultivated in a nitrogen-deficient medium, nearly the entire volume of the microalgal cell is filled with lipid droplets. About 40 percent of the substances in these droplets are fats suitable for infant nutrition, with palmitic acid located in the central position.

“In our further work, we plan to optimize and scale up the cultivation methods of the studied microalga to a semi-industrial level in order to develop a technology for producing oil valuable for functional human nutrition,” Sidorov said.

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