DIET AND FECAL FLORA IN THE NEWBORN - NUCLEOTIDES

Breast milk contains nucleotide salts that are only present in minimal amounts in modem infant formulas prepared from cows' milk. Nucleotide s have been suggested as cofactors for the growth of bifidobacteria in vitro. Bifidobacteria are found to be more numerous in the faeces of breast fed babies compared with those of formula fed babies. Faecal fl ora were examined at 2 weeks of age in 32 babies who from birth had be en fed a whey based formula supplemented with nucleotide monophosphate salts, 33 babies fed an unsupplemented formula, and 21 breast fed bab ies. Faecal flora were also examined at 4 weeks, and 7 weeks but with fewer babies in each group. Most differences were found at 2 weeks of age when more babies fed the nucleotide supplemented formula were colo nised with Escherichia coli and more had E coli as the dominant organi sm in their faecal flora. Fewer of these babies were colonised with bi fidobacteria. The counts of bifidobacteria and enterococci were reduce d in the nucleotide supplemented group but bacteroides accounted for a higher percentage of the total flora in this group of babies. Supplem entation of a formula with nucleotide salts did not make the faecal fl ora closer to that of breast fed infants as the growth of bifidobacter ia was discouraged. While there may be arguments to support the additi on of nucleotides to infant formula the results of this study do not s upport their addition for the enhancement of bifidobacteria in the fae cal flora.