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Review discusses strategies to replicate human milk structures in infant formula, highlighting emulsion engineering and bioactive components.
The field of infant formula development has evolved significantly, transitioning from a focus on nutrient composition to mimicking the structural and functional complexity of human milk. However, challenges remain in replicating the unique physical structure of human milk, particularly the milk fat globules (MFGs) and their surrounding membranes. This study reviews the biological significance of human milk, highlights the limitations of current infant formula designs, and discusses emerging strategies to mimic these structures. Key technologies include emulsion engineering to produce lipid droplets with size and surface characteristics resembling native MFGs, and the incorporation of milk‐derived bioactive components by high pressure homogenization or membrane emulsification. A range of new technologies has been developed for microstructure building such as layer‐by‐layer structure design. Additionally, the patent landscape and technological innovations, as well as challenges such as cost, stability, and sensory acceptance, are also examined. This review concludes by emphasizing the importance of advancing biomimetic infant nutrition to enhance developmental outcomes and future studies for sustainable and eco‐friendly formula production.
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Zhang et al. (2025) studied this question.
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