Jennewein Biotechnologie and Yili Group join forces in China for microbiome research and human milk oligosaccharides to bring innovation to the largest baby food market

Hohhot, China & Rheinbreitbach, Germany (ots) -

- China represents the largest market for baby food globally
- Human milk oligosaccharides are key for the development of a
healthy infant microbiome

Jennewein Biotechnologie GmbH, the global leader in the research
and manufacture of human milk oligosaccharides (HMO), and Inner
Mongolia Yili Industrial Group (Yili Group), China's leading dairy
company, announce today the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding
on infant microbiome and human milk oligosaccharides, with the goal
to develop an innovative infant formula and dairy products
specifically tailored to the Chinese market.

"After already having introduced human milk oligosaccharides in
other world regions, such as the key U.S. market and selected
European countries, we are very excited to work with Yili, the
domestic market leader for microbiome/baby food in China" stated Dr.
Stefan Jennewein, CEO and Co-Founder of Jennewein Biotechnologie.
"With 50% of the total global market volume (2021e: 76 billion US$)
China is presently the largest market for baby food. We are committed
to bringing the benefits of human milk oligosaccharides for the
development of a healthy infant microbiome to Chinese parents and
their children."

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) constitute the third largest
component of breast milk and are unique to humans in concentration
and structural diversity. HMOs possess several physiological effects;
they confer protection against infectious diseases (e.g. noro
viruses) and act as prebiotics for the development of the infant
microbiome. Today, it is widely recognized that the establishment of
a healthy microbiome is key for the overall development of an infant.
Failure to support a natural or healthy microbiome may potentially
lead to obesity, autism or allergy development in addition to other
existing issues in infant health and development. However, most
infant formulas do not contain HMOs as of today.

Dr Gerrit Smit, managing director of Yili Innovation Center Europe
stated: "Yili Group has been dedicated to Chinese breast milk
composition studies for years and has initiated the establishment of
a Chinese Breast Milk Database. Yili has constantly brought
innovative products to the market based on scientific research, for
example Pro-Kido, and is looking forward to collaborating with
Jennewein in the future."

About HMOs:

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are complex sugar molecules
that are only present in breast milk. They are the third most
abundant constituent of human milk after lipids and lactose. More