Pre-, pro or synbiotics play an important role in the modulation of the gut microbiota.

A growing amount of clinical evidence shows that pre- and probiotics can have beneficial effects in infants at risk of, or living with food allergies.^1–4

Synbiotics are a combination of pre- and probiotics.⁵ Pre- and probiotics can influence the immune system directly, or indirectly, via the gut microbiota, and therefore they may play a role in preventing the onset of an allergic disease.⁶ The objective of combining pre- and probiotics is to achieve stronger positive effects than with either component alone (synergy).⁷

Gut microbiota dysbiosis has been reported in infants with allergic conditions with low levels of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli compared with healthy, breastfed infants.⁸

Given the presence and important role of these naturally occurring pre- and probiotics, and recognising that breast feeding is not always possible, there is a compelling rationale to combine pre- and probiotic ingredients (synbiotics) in infant formula so that functionally it more closely resembles human breast milk.