Speaking at our Probiota Asia summit in Singapore last month, Dr Guus Roeselers presented findings from a recent trial in Singapore and Thailand, which showed how a combination of pre- and probiotics very quickly restored the microbiota diversity of C-section babies.
"When it comes to infants, it is very simple," he told us. "It is of the utmost importance to develop a bifidobacterium ecosystem."
The study, published in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, found that a unique synbiotic combination of prebiotic oligosaccharides and probiotic bifidobacterium breve M-16V in infant formula restored gut colonisation by bifidobacteria and supported healthy gut development.
But as Roeselers points out in the video, it also appeared to contribute to a reduced risk of allergies, something that will be assessed further in follow-up research.
Watch the video to find out more.