Early life nutrition sets the stage for lifelong wellness. Discover how supporting infant gut health via the early gut microbiome can deliver lasting benefits for immunity, digestive comfort, brain development and healthy growth.
Colonisation by beneficial bacteria for the establishment of a healthy gut microbiome is fundamental to infant development. From birth, an infant’s gut rapidly develops a thriving bacterial ecosystem through diet and environment, laying the foundation for several critical health areas, from food digestion to immune function and potentially even emotional wellbeing.
FrieslandCampina Ingredients leverages over 75 years of research into milk-based components and their role in early development to deliver advanced, science-backed solutions that support the establishment of a healthy infant gut microbiome. This led to the development of our pioneering, clinically-backed galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS) ingredients for infant formula—Vivinal® GOS.
Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) are a complex mix of over 100 oligosaccharide structures of varying lengths, made up of glucose and galactose units derived from the lactose in cow’s milk using an enzymatic (beta-galactosidase) conversion. GOS are the most widely used oligosaccharides in infant milk formula – in fact, about 50% of infant milk formula contains GOS globally.
4 Innova product database, 2025.
As non-digestible carbohydrates, GOS deliver prebiotic* benefits by selectively feeding ‘good’ bacteria like Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli to promote a healthy microbiome— supporting infant gut health and, as a result, a wide range of benefits:
Digestion
Helping to regulate stool consistency and regularity of bowel movements Williams T, et al. Tolerance of formulas containing prebiotics in healthy, term infants. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 2014;59(5):653-8.
Read moreHealthy growth
Supporting absorption for key minerals such as iron Paganini D, et al. Consumption of galacto-oligosaccharides increases iron absorption from a micronutrient powder containing ferrous fumarate and sodium iron EDTA: a stable-isotope study in Kenyan infants. The American journal of clinical nutrition. 2017;106(4):1020-31. and calcium Whisner CM, et al. Galacto-oligosaccharides increase calcium absorption and gut bifidobacteria in young girls: a double-blind cross-over trial. British Journal of Nutrition. 2013;110(7):1292-303. for healthy growth. Skrypnik K, Suliburska J. Association between the gut microbiota and mineral metabolism. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 2018;98(7):2449-60. Whisner CM, Castillo LF. Prebiotics, bone and mineral metabolism. Calcified tissue international. 2018;102(4):443-79.
Read moreImmune health
Limiting the ability of pathogens to colonise the gut, supporting the healthy development and function of the immune system. 10 Arrieta MC, et al. The intestinal microbiome in early life: health and disease. Frontiers in immunology. 2014;5:427.
Read moreBrain development
Influencing (directly or indirectly) neuro-cognitive development and brain function, through specific gut-brain pathways. Ratsika A, et al. Priming for life: early life nutrition and the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Nutrients. 2021;13(2):423. Carlson AL, et al. Infant gut microbiome associated with cognitive development. Biological psychiatry. 2018;83(2):148-59.
Read moreWe are proud to be the first ingredients provider to offer GOS for infant milk formula. We have continued to lead the way in this space, and our GOS are the most widely studied GOS ingredients in the world, with over 70 clinical trials in infants and children demonstrating benefits, including:
Increase in Bifidobacteria in the gut microbiome of infants.
Ben, X.-M. et al. Supplementation of milk formula with galacto-oligosaccharides improves intestinal micro-flora and fermentation in term infants. Chinese medical journal. 2004;117(06):927-31.
Ben, X.-M., et al. Low level of galacto-oligosaccharide in infant formula stimulates growth of intestinal Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli. World journal of gastroenterology: WJG. 2008;14(42):6564.
Fanaro, S., et al. Galacto‐oligosaccharides are bifidogenic and safe at weaning: a double‐blind randomized multicenter study. Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition. 2009;48(1):82-8.
Contribution to the body’s immune system and reduction of the incidence of infections.
Ranucci G, et al. Galacto-oligosaccharide/polidextrose enriched formula protects against respiratory infections in infants at high risk of atopy: a randomized clinical trial. Nutrients. 2018 Mar 1;10(3):286.
Improvement of infant stool consistency and transit time.
Williams T, et al. Tolerance of formulas containing prebiotics in healthy, term infants. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 2014;59(5):653-8.
Sierra, C., et al. (2014). Prebiotic effect during the first year of life in healthy infants fed formula containing GOS as the only prebiotic: a multicentre, randomised, double-blind and placebo-controlled trial. European journal of nutrition. 2015 Feb;54(1):89-99.
Enhancement of calcium absorption in young girls
Whisner CM, et al. Galacto-oligosaccharides increase calcium absorption and gut bifidobacteria in young girls: a double-blind cross-over trial. British Journal of Nutrition. 2013;110(7):1292-303.
and iron in infants.
Paganini D, et al. Consumption of galacto-oligosaccharides increases iron absorption from a micronutrient powder containing ferrous fumarate and sodium iron EDTA: a stable-isotope study in Kenyan infants. The American journal of clinical nutrition. 2017;106(4):1020-31.
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New research reveals that Vivinal® GOS also contains the human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) 3’-galactosyllactose (3’-GL), 4’-galactosyllactose (4’-GL) and 6’-galactosyllactose (6’-GL) which contribute to the ingredient’s benefits for infant gut health and immunity.
The benefits of GOS don’t end in infancy. As children grow, their nutritional needs evolve, requiring ongoing support for digestion, immunity and overall wellbeing. GOS continues to play an important role in nurturing a balanced gut microbiome through the preschool years and beyond.
FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ Step Up Nutrition portfolio—featuring GOS alongside complementary science-backed ingredients—is designed for children aged three and above. Developed to help bridge the gap between early life nutrition and the needs of growing children, Step Up Nutrition solutions address the top parental concerns worldwide, offering brands a powerful way to address evolving consumer needs and drive product innovation.
Ready to develop next-generation solutions for infant gut health? Connect with our experts to explore the benefits of GOS and receive advice and insights tailored to your brand’s needs.
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The gut and the brain show bi-directional communication through the gut-brain axis. ‘Good’ bacteria in the gut such as Bifidobacteria produce neurotransmitters and metabolites that can interact with the central nervous system, influencing brain development and function in infancy and beyond.
Ben, X.-M., et al. Low level of galacto-oligosaccharide in infant formula stimulates growth of intestinal Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli. World journal of gastroenterology: WJG. 2008;14(42):6564.
Oligosaccharides like GOS encourage the growth of these bacteria and are fermented into metabolites such as short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) which may have a direct or indirect impact on cognition, brain development and even emotional wellbeing.
Galactooligosaccharides (GOS) are non-digestible carbohydrates, which selectively feed beneficial gut bacteria to promote a healthy microbiome. It is referred to as a single ingredient, but GOS has a complex composition, containing a diverse mixture of many different oligosaccharides produced enzymatically from the lactose in cow’s milk. In fact, more than 100 oligosaccharide structures have been identified in GOS.
Logtenberg, M. J. et al. Touching the high complexity of prebiotic Vivinal galacto- oligosaccharides using UHPLC-PGC-MS. J Agric Food Chem 68, 7800–7808 (2020)
When added to infant milk formula, GOS influence the composition of the developing gut microbiome, supporting multiple areas of infant health including digestion, immune health and brain development.
With over 75 years of expertise in early life nutrition ingredient manufacturing and research we are a global leader in developing and supplying GOS prebiotic ingredients. Our renowned research centre in the Netherlands and regular collaboration with leading universities allows us to stay at the cutting edge of GOS science, and our GOS prebiotic ingredient is the most studied in the world—with over 70 clinical trials demonstrating their benefits in infants and children.
As a trusted GOS supplier, with strong analytical and formulation expertise, we help leading global infant nutrition brands to create the right blends of GOS and other ingredients to deliver meaningful health benefits and give little ones a great start in life.
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