Figure 6.

Infant formula oligosaccharides are structurally different from HMO. GOS and FOS are currently added to infant formula. pAOS are currently studied as novel ingredients to mimic some of the effects of HMO. GOS, FOS, and pAOS are structurally very different than HMO and are not present in human milk. Fructose or its polymers as well as galacturonic acid and its homo- or heteropolymers are not found in human milk. In contrast, Fuc and sialic acid are important components of HMO, but they are not part of any of the infant formula oligosaccharides. FOS, fructooligosaccharide; Fuc, fucose; GOS, galactooligosaccharide; HMO, human milk oligosaccharide; pAOS, pectin-derived acidic oligosaccharide.