Among breast milk oligosaccharides (HMO), fucosyl lactose is the main component to ensure the dominance of Bifidobacteria in the intestinal flora of babies. Key factor is the availability of a FL transporter in the Bifidobacteria strains. Yakult offers fermented milk products for babies which contain a Bifidobacterium bifidum strain (BF-1) which survives stomach passage. However, as shown by genome sequencing, it lacks an FL transporter. New strains with this transporter may now be screened or engineered.

Yakult news release, June 28, 2016