Prepared by Colin Prosser, BSc (Hons), PhD, 23 September 2024
Whole milki in Nannycare versus Kendamil formula for infants
While it is difficult to quantify the amount of whole milk in formula, it may be estimated from the casein to whey protein content, types of ingredients declared on labels and knowledge of how formula is manufactured.
Nannycare is manufactured by Dairy Goat Co-operative (NZ) Ltd (DGC), located at 18 Gallagher Drive, Hamilton, New Zealand. The whey to casein ratio of Nannycare formula is similar to whole goat milk, which is typically 20:80. The use of whole goat milk without added whey to supply all the proteins in formula, as manufactured by DGC, is well documented (EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies, 2012; Zhou et al, 2014; Gallier, Tolenaars & Prosser, 2020; Prosser 2021).
According to information from Product Data Card (kendamil.com), as accessed on 23 September 2024, Kendamil’s goat follow-on formula has 0.8g whey protein, 0.46 g casein and 1.4g protein per 100ml. Thus, the approximate whey to casein ratio of Kendamil formula is 60:40. To adjust the whey to casein ratio of whole milk from 20:80 to 60:40, manufacturers typically add extra whey proteins from demineralised whey to either skim or whole milk. The addition of demineralised whey is consistent with the ingredients declared by Kendamil.
With only 3.3-3.5g casein per 10g total protein, Kendamil’s formula has less than 50% of the casein as whole milk (at 8g protein per 10g total protein). The rest of the proteins in Kendamil’s formula are from whey. Thus, by calculation half of the proteins in the Kendamil formula may be assumed to derived from whole milk, whereas all the proteins in Nannycare are from whole milk.
A clinical trial using a 20:80 goat milk formula, equivalent to Nannycare formula, was pivotal in the amendment of EU & UK regulations, allowing goat milk as a source of protein in infant and follow-on formulas (EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies, 2012; Zhou et al, 2014; Prosser 2021). These same regulations also permit whey-adjusted 60:40 formulas based on goat milk for infants and follow-on use, without indicating a preference for either ratio.
Milk Fat in Nannycare versus Kendamil formula for infants
Whereas in the past the fat in formulas for infants were typically derived from vegetable oils, inclusion of milk fat in formulas is now more common (Berger et al., 2000; Delplanque, et al, 2015; Hageman et al, 2019). In this case a mixture of vegetable oils is used to provide the required quantity of total fat and essential fatty acids (Delplanque, et al, 2015; Hageman et al,
2019).
Formula for infants manufactured by DGC contains up to 55% milk fat from whole goat milk (Prosser et al, 2010; EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies, 2012; Zhou et al, 2014; Gallier, Tolenaars & Prosser, 2020; Prosser 2021; Demmelmair et al, 2024). The majority of the remaining fat is from vegetable oils (high oleic sunflower, rapeseed, and sunflower) and approximately 1% from other oils providing long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Kendamil declares their formula contains sunflower, coconut and rapeseed oil.
Based on nutritional content information, formulas from Kendamil (from Product Data Card (kendamil.com) and Nannycare both have a very similar total fat content of 3.4/3.5 g fat per 100ml made up formula. If the Kendamil formula has up to half the amount of whole milk than Nannycare, then it should be expected to also have
less milk fat, but more vegetable oils.
Milk fat contains a number of fatty acids, including odd chain fatty acids such as C15:0 (pentadecanoic acid) and C17:0 (margaric acid). Odd chain fatty acids are synthesized by the bacterial flora in the rumen of ruminants (Wu and Palmquist 1991; Adoul-Aziz, Zhang and Wang, 2021) and are considered to be specific for milk fat (Wolk et al, 1998). Indeed, C15:0 and C17:0
are used to measure the dietary intake of dairy fat (Wolk et al, 1998; Smedman et al, 1999; Santaren et al, 2014; Yakoob et al 2014; Pfeuffer & Jaudszus 2016; Imamura et al, 2018; Pranger et al, 2019). By extrapolation, the relative amount of C15:0 and C17:0 milk fat in different formulas would be reflective of the amount of milk fat present.
The fatty acids in Kendamil Goat Follow On Milk Stage 2 and Nannycare Goat Follow on Milk Stage 2 were analysed by Nutricontrol (www.nutricontrol.nl) in September 2024. Results were provided as a percentage of the total fat present.
| Analytical results | ||
|---|---|---|
| % C15:0 | % C17:0 | |
| Kendamil | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| Nannycare | 0.5 | 0.3 |
From these analytical data it would be a reasonable conclusion that the tested Nannycare formula has up to twice the amount of milk fat as that of the Kendamil formula.
As previously stated, vegetable oils make up the remaining fat content of formula. The quantity of milk fat and vegetable oils in Nannycare and Kendamil formulas that were tested can be estimated using the following assumptions:
- the relative difference in C15:0 in the two formulas
- 46% of total fat in Nannycare formula is milk fat (formula specification provided by DGC,
23 September 2024), - both Nannycare and Kendamil formulas having 3.4 g total fat per 100ml.
| Estimated amounts of milk fat and vegetable oils in tested formulas | ||
|---|---|---|
| Milk fat g/100ml | Vegetable fat g/100ml | |
| Kendamil | 0.6 | 2.7 |
| Nannycare | 1.6 | 1.7 |
References
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Biography of author
I gained a BSc with 1st class Honours in biochemistry and completed a PhD in human lactation at University of Western Australia. I conducted a range of dairy farm related research projects and programmes to develop new nutritional and functional ingredient products at Universities or research institutions in Australia, USA, UK and New Zealand. I have published over 100 scientific articles and presented at international conferences on a variety of topics relating to dairying, milk composition and infant nutrition in international journals.
I was employed by Dairy Goat Co-operative (NZ) Ltd (DGC) from 2005 for 17 years as Chief Scientific Officer, where I directed the research on the features and of goat milk and formulations based on goat milk. This included clinical trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of goat formula for infant nutrition.
I retired from DGC in 2022, to become an independent science consultant.
i Whole milk is all the milk without removal of fat or proteins