Compositions for use in improving stool consistency or frequency in infants or young children

Abstract

The present invention relates to a nutritional composition comprising at least one fucosylated oligosaccharide and at least one N-acetylated oligosaccharide, for use in preventing and/or treating constipation and/or in improving stool consistency/frequency in an infant or a young child.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method for treating constipation in an infant or a young child in need thereof, the method comprising administering a nutritional composition comprising at least one fucosylated oligosaccharide and at least one N-acetylated oligosaccharide to the infant or young child. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one fucosylated oligosaccharide is selected from the group consisting of 2′-fucosyllactose, 3′fucosyllactose, difucosyllactose, lacto-N-fucopentaose I, lacto-N-fucopentaose II, lacto-N-fucopentaose III, lacto-N-fucopentaose V, lacto-N-fucohexaose, lacto-N-difucohexaose I, fucosyllacto-N-hexaose, fucosyllacto-N-neohexaose I, fucosyllacto-N-neohexaose II, difucosyllacto-N-hexaose I, difucosyllacto-N-neohexaose I, difucosyllacto-N-neohexaose II, fucosyl-para-Lacto-N-hexaose, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one fucosylated oligosaccharide comprises a 2′ fucosyl-epitope. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one fucosylated oligosaccharide comprises 2′-fucosyllactose (2′FL). 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one N-acetylated oligosaccharide is selected from the group consisting of lacto-N-tetraose (LNT), lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT) and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one N-acetylated oligosaccharide is selected from the group consisting of lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT), para-lacto-N-neohexaose (para-LNnH), and combinations thereof, 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one N-acetylated oligosaccharide comprises lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT). 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one N-acetylated oligosaccharide comprises a combination of lacto-N-tetraose (LNT) and lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT). 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one N-acetylated oligosaccharide comprises a combination of lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT) and para-lacto-N-neohexaose (para-LNnH). 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one fucosylated oligosaccharide is in a total amount of 0.2-3 g/L of the nutritional composition and/or in a total amount of 0.13-2.1 g/100 g of the nutritional composition on a dry weight basis; and
 the at least one N-acetylated oligosaccharide is in a total amount of 0.1-2 g/L of the nutritional composition and/or in a total amount of 0.06-1.4 g/100 g of the nutritional composition on a dry weight basis.   
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one fucosylated oligosaccharide is in a total amount of 0.8-1.5 g/L of the nutritional composition and/or in a total amount of 0.55-1.05 g/100 g of the nutritional composition on a dry weight basis; and
 the at least one N-acetylated oligosaccharide is in a total amount of 0.5-0.8 g/L of the nutritional composition and/or in a total amount of 0.35-0.56 g/100 g of the nutritional composition on a dry weight basis.   
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the nutritional composition further comprises at least one probiotic in an amount of from 10 3  to 10 12  cfu/g of the nutritional composition (dry weight). 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the nutritional composition is selected from the group consisting of an infant formula, a starter infant formula, a follow-on or follow-up infant formula, a baby food, an infant cereal composition, a fortifier and a supplement. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the nutritional composition does not comprise any sialylated oligosaccharide. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the infant is a child under the age of 12 months, the young child is a child aged between one year and three years, and the infant or young child was born by C-section. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one fucosylated oligosaccharide is in a total amount of 1-1.25 g/L of the nutritional composition and/or in a total amount of 0.69-0.87 g/100 g of the nutritional composition on a dry weight basis; and
 the at least one N-acetylated oligosaccharide is in a total amount of 0.5-0.7 g/L of the nutritional composition and/or in a total amount of 0.35-0.56 g/100 g of the nutritional composition on a dry weight basis.   
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the nutritional composition further comprises another oligosaccharide and/or a fiber and/or a precursor thereof selected from the group consisting of galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), xylooligosaccharides (XOS), inulin, polydextrose, sialylated oligosaccharides, sialic acid, fucose and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one fucosylated oligosaccharide comprises 2′-fucosyllactose (2′FL), and the at least one N-acetylated oligosaccharide comprises lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT). 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the 2′FL and the LNnT are the only Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs) in the nutritional composition. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the 2′FL and the LNnT are the only oligosaccharides in the nutritional composition.