Ultra‐High Temperature Treatment of Liquid Infant Formula, Systemic Immunity, and Kidney Development in Preterm Neonates

Scope: Ready‐to‐feed liquid infant formulas (IFs) are increasingly being used for newborn preterm infants when human milk is unavailable. However, sterilization of liquid IFs by ultra‐high temperature (UHT) introduces Maillard reaction products (MRPs) that may negatively affect systemic immune and kidney development. Methods and results: UHT‐treated IF without and with prolonged storage (SUHT) are tested against pasteurized IF (PAST) in newborn preterm pigs as a model for preterm infants. After 5 days, blood leukocytes, markers of systemic immunity and inflammation, kidney structure and function are evaluated. No consistent differences between UHT and PAST pigs are observed. However, SUHT increases plasma TNFα and IL‐6 and reduces neutrophils and in vitro response to LPS. In SUHT pigs, the immature kidneys show minor upregulation of gene expressions related to inflammation (RAGE, MPO, MMP9) and oxidative stress (CAT, GLO1), together with glomerular mesangial expansion and cell injury. The increased inflammatory status in SUHT pigs appears unrelated to systemic levels of MRPs. Conclusion: SUHT feeding may impair systemic immunity and affect kidney development in preterm newborns. The systemic effects may be induced by local gut inflammatory effects of MRPs. Optimal processing and length of storage are critical for UHT‐treated liquid IFs for preterm infants.

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Ultra‐High Temperature Treatment of Liquid Infant Formula, Systemic Immunity, and Kidney Development in Preterm Neonates ; day:27 ; month:10 ; year:2023 ; extent:12 ; Molecular nutrition & food research ; (27.10.2023) (gesamt 12)

Contributors, Places and Time

• Creator: Sun, Jing ; Akıllıoğlu, Halise Gül ; Zhong, Jingren ; Muk, Tik ; Pan, Xiaoyu ; Lund, Marianne Nissen ; Sangild, Per Torp ; Nguyen, Duc Ninh ; Bering, Stine Brandt

Further information

• DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.202300318
• URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-2023102715283550606498
• Rights: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 14.08.2025, 11:03 AM CEST