Soy bean-based formulas in infant nutrition

For many years soy bean-based formulas (SBBF) were the only dietary product used for infants with cow's milk intolerance. At the present time, their p lace in infant nutrition is reduced as a result of the availability of new dietary products without lactose and/or cow's milk proteins and the recogni tion of soy bean protein allergy. There is no evidence that SBBF have any e fficiency in infant colic. SBBF have no indication in the prevention of all ergy, nor in premature infants' nutrition. Their main indication is the fee ding of infants of vegetarian parents who do not want to use cow's milk pro ducts. Studies have shown that SBBF contain large quantities of phytoestrog ens, particularly isoflavone. Because of experimental data suggesting a pos sible deleterious effect of phytoestrogens on the neuroendocrine maturation , the reduction of their content in SBBF must be considered. (C) 2001 Editi ons scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.