Primary carers’ readiness for human lactoferrin in infant formula using precision fermentation

• Precision fermentation has potential to produce nature-equivalent human lactoferrin. • Human lactoferrin could be used as a functional ingredient in infant formula. • Carers’ acceptance of human lactoferrin as functional protein in formula was high. • Carers expressed mental wellbeing benefits; high trust in safety and regulation. • Concern for fair and equitable accessibility and availability of functional formula. Lactoferrin is a protein found in both dairy cow milk and human breastmilk and can play a role in protecting infants against infection. Human lactoferrin is not commercially available; therefore, bovine lactoferrin is used as a key ingredient in milk substitutes such as infant formula. Through precision fermentation, it may be possible to produce a protein that is ‘nature equivalent’ to human lactoferrin, but synthetically derived using genetically engineered yeast. The purified human lactoferrin would be non-GM and could then be used as functional ingredient in many health and nutrition applications. This qualitative study examines attitudes towards the potential use of human lactoferrin, derived from precision fermentation, as a functional ingredient in infant formula amongst primary caregivers who use infant formula to feed their children either exclusively or supplementarily. Results showed participants were supportive of using human lactoferrin as an ingredient in infant formula. Safety was considered as a given, based on trust in national regulatory arrangements; the main concerns participants raised were related to fair and equitable accessibility and availability of the more nature-equivalent infant formula containing human lactoferrin. Results show growing evidence of changing consumer attitudes towards novel functional foods, and a preference for clear, needs-driven technology development.