Nutritional composition comprising immunoglobulins and oligosaccharides

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and composition for the treatment and/or prevention of infection, said method comprising orally administering a composition to a mammal, said composition comprising a galactose containing indigestible oligosaccharide and immunoglobulin from the milk or colostrum of hyperimmunized cows.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of reducing the incidence of respiratory tract infection episodes comprising administering to an infant mammal in need thereof a liquid infant formula composition comprising:
 (a) 0.5-10 grams transgalactooligosaccharide per 100 grams dry weight of the composition; and   (b) 0.5-10 grams fructopolysaccharide per 100 grams dry weight of the composition.   
     
     
         2 . The method of according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprising:
 (a) 2-5 grams transgalactooligosaccharide per 100 grams dry weight of the composition, and   (b) 1-5 grams fructopolysaccharide per 100 grams dry weight of the composition.   
     
     
         3 . The method of according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition, as a percentage of the total caloric value of the composition, comprises:
 (a) 35-50% energy fat;   (b) 7.5-12.5% energy protein;   (c) 40-55% energy carbohydrate.   
     
     
         4 . The method of according to  claim 3 , wherein at least 50%, by weight, of the carbohydrate of the composition is lactose. 
     
     
         5 . The method of according to  claim 3 , wherein the fat, carbohydrate, or protein is of plant, non-human animal, bacterial, or synthetic origin. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises indigestible dextrins, xylooligosaccharides, arabinooligosaccharides, glucooligosaccharides, mannooligosaccharides, fucooligosaccharides, fructans, fructooligosaccharide, hydrolysed inulin, inulin, or lactose. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the composition comprises a fructan, fructooligosaccharide, a hydrolysed inulin or an inulin. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises a long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA). 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the LC-PUFA is selected from the group consisting of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, n-3), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, n-3) and arachidonic acid (AA, n-6). 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the mammal is a human. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition is administered orally. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the human is an infant with the age between 0 and 4 years. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the infant is under 1 year of age. 
     
     
         14 . A method of reducing the incidence of respiratory tract infection episodes comprising administering to an infant mammal in need thereof a liquid infant formula composition supplemented with:
 (a) 0.5-10 grams transgalactooligosaccharide per 100 grams dry weight of the composition; and   (b) 0.5-10 grams fructopolysaccharide per 100 grams dry weight of the composition.