USA – Danone, one of the world’s largest food and beverage corporations, has introduced its hypoallergenic baby formula brand, Pepticate, to the US, following an infant formula shortage in the country.
The product is made by Danone’s specialised nutrition arm in North America, Nutricia, to help support families whose babies have food allergies.
The company explained that Pepticate is an extensively hydrolysed powdered formula (EHF) designed to provide relief from the symptoms of cow milk allergy in infants up to 12 months old.
The product has been sold in Europe for more than 30 years and has been labelled as “hydrolysed baby formula for cow milk allergy”. It is sold in over 75 other countries.
“For babies with food allergies that are not breastfed, hypoallergenic formulas like Pepticate are often their main source of nutrition, and can play a critical role in their development,” said Steven Yannicelli, Vice President, of Medical and Scientific Affairs at Nutricia North America.
The company noted that Pepticate is the only EHF with a blend of prebiotic fibres that mimic the levels and functionality of human milk oligosaccharides found in breast milk that support the development of a child’s digestive and immune systems.
A study found that approximately 75,000 infants are affected by cow milk allergies as they are the most common food allergy in infancy.
Danone claims that EHF formulas such as Pepticate are able to break down the allergy-triggering proteins in cow milk so that the formula can be “better tolerated” by infants with a cow’s milk allergy.
“I’m excited that Pepticate contains lactose as a key source of carbohydrates because it also helps make Pepticate taste great.
That’s very important for families, since a good tasting formula may decrease the likelihood of formula refusal and repeated doctor visits,” concluded Dr Timboe, a paediatrician.
This move is also part of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s strategy to improve the supply and availability of infant formula in the US.
“I’m proud of the work our teams have done in coordination with the FDA to extend the availability of this product in the US, increase formula supply for babies with cow milk allergy, and ultimately help families focus on enjoying more beautiful moments with their little ones,” said Yannicelli.
The first shipment of the product consisted of about 50,000 cans with the organisations expecting a “consistent supply” to follow to meet the demand.
From the onset of the infant formula shortage in the US in early 2022 to date, Danone has imported nearly 1.9 million cans of infant formula across its Aptamil, Neocate and Pepticate brands.
Pepticate can be purchased online and is also distributed by Nutricia North America through several medical and retail channels.
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