Breast is Best?

Human breast milk contains about 200 oligosaccharides (HMOs). Newly-born humans can't digest the carbohydrates. Their presence, however, promotes the neonate's healthy gut bacteria. These gut microbe populations reduce the baby's risk of getting bacterial or viral infections. Most infant formula feeds don't contain HMOs. The extra protection offered by healthy gut bacteria is why it's often claimed that 'breast is best'. Until recently, only a few HMOs could be produced, using gentically-modified (GM) versions of the E. coli bug. Researchers have now applied GM techniques to Nicotinia benthamiana plants, making them capable of producing 11 known HMOs. This makes it much more likely, that an infant formula milk can be produced with health benefits similar to breast milk (https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/jun/16/tobacco-like-plant-engineered-to-pump-out-nutrients-found-in-breast-milk). Not all women can successfully breast feed. An HMO-enriched infant formula milk would be clearly beneficial to such mothers. It seems odd that a close relative of the tobacco plant, might provide health benefits to babies.