COPENHAGEN, Denmark, March 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A clinical study published in Nutrients has shown that infant formula containing Arla Foods Ingredients’ Lacprodan® IF-3070 was well tolerated in infants, with growth and development indicators remaining within an appropriate range.1 The findings provide scientific evidence for formula development in early life nutrition.
Lacprodan® IF-3070 is a partially hydrolysed whey protein ingredient specially designed to support gastrointestinal comfort in healthy infants.
The study, which focused on safety and growth outcomes, recruited 251 newborns under 14 days old from six Chinese hospitals. They were randomised to receive either a standard formula based on intact protein, or one containing both intact protein and Lacprodan® IF-3070 (approximately 40%). Breastfed infants were included as a reference.
After six months, the difference in mean daily weight gain between the Lacprodan® IF-3070 group and the breastfed group was found to be only 0.4g per day. The difference between the standard formula group and the breastfed group was 1.1 g per day, indicating that growth trajectories in infants receiving the Lacprodan® IF-3070 formula were closer to those of the breastfed reference group.
In terms of tolerance, there were no significant differences in adverse event incidence (gastrointestinal disorders such as vomiting or refusal, respiratory diseases such as coughs, or general disorders such as fevers) between the Lacprodan® IF-3070 group and the breastfed group. By contrast, the incidence of gastrointestinal disorders was significantly higher in the standard formula group than in the breastfed group.
Lotte Neergaard Jacobsen, Chief Scientist, Early Life Nutrition, at Arla Foods Ingredients, said: “Healthy growth is a key factor in infant formula purchases. At Arla Foods Ingredients, we have decades of experience developing high-quality milk protein hydrolysates for infant formulas, and we are delighted that the first clinical study on Lacprodan® IF-3070 has confirmed that it supports healthy growth.”
Lacprodan® IF-3070 is part of Arla Foods Ingredients’ hydrolysate portfolio and can be used in China and the US. In 2024, the FDA approved the use of whey protein hydrolysates in infant formula.
Full research
1 Shen Q, Jiang H, Mao S, Luo S, Hao Y, Liang W, He T, Jacobsen LN, Sheng N, Yin J, et al. An Infant Formula with Partially Hydrolyzed Whey and Intact Protein Demonstrates Adequate Growth and Safety: A 6-Month Randomized, Triple-Blind, Controlled Trial. Nutrients. 2026; 18(5):770.
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