NUTRITIONAL-EVALUATION OF VARIOUS PROTEIN HYDROLYSATE FORMULAS IN TERM INFANTS DURING THE FIRST MONTH OF LIFE

The aim of the study was to compare, during the first month of life, g rowth parameters, biochemical indices of protein metabolism and plasma amino acid concentrations in newborn infants fed either human milk (n = 23), three different whey hydrolysate formulae (WHF 1, n = 13; WHF 2, n = 10; WHF 3, n = 13), a soy-collagen hydrolysate formula (SCHF n = 18) or a whey-casein hydrolysate formula (WCHF, n = 20). Growth para meters and the various protein concentrations determined in the infant s fed WHF 1 and WHF 2 were similar to the values observed with human m ilk. With WHF 3, growth in weight, length and head circumference and s erum total protein concentrations were reduced significantly whereas b lood urea nitrogen was increased. With SCHF, growth in weight and leng th as well as serum total protein and transferrin concentration were d ecreased significantly, whereas serum IgG concentration was increased. With WCHF growth in length and serum transferrin concentration were d ecreased compared to the human milk group. In the various groups, the plasma amino acid pattern reflected the amino acid content of the form ula. Whey hydrolysate formula induced mainly an increase in threonine and a decrease in tyrosine concentrations. Soy-collagen hydrolysate fo rmula led to an increase of non-essential amino acids, such as glycine and hydroxyproline, and a decrease in plasma lysine and cystine. Whey -casein hydrolysate formula induced a plasma amino acid pattern close to the profile observed with human milk. Nevertheless, the plasma conc entrations of most of the various amino acids were higher. In conclusi on, our study shows that the various protein-hydrolysed formulae are n ot equivalent in terms of nutritional safety for newborn infants. Furt her extensive nutritional studies are necessary before maintaining and promoting the use of protein-hydrolysed formula in full-term newborn infants.