Whey protein formula may reduce atopic dermatitis risk

The FDA has granted a qualified health claim to a milk-based formula based on the formula’s link to a reduction in the risk for atopic dermatitis, according to a press release.

Gerber Products Company announced that the Good Start milk-based formulas are the first and only infant formulas that meet the criteria for a qualified health claim.

The health claim applies to healthy infants from birth to 4 months of age who are not exclusively breast-fed and who have a family history of allergy, the FDA said, adding that through the first year of life, 100% whey protein partially hydrolyzed formula — rather than a formula containing intact cow’s milk proteins — may reduce atopic dermatitis risk.

“The relationship between 100% whey protein partially hydrolyzed infant formulas and the reduced risk of atopic dermatitis is uncertain because there is little scientific evidence for the relationship,” FDA officials wrote.

The AAP, the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases have affirmed that certain hydrolyzed protein infant formulas potentially reduce the risk of developing atopic dermatitis. These organizations said this potential reduction is more likely in infants with a family history of allergy, and the formulas should not be used to treat children with allergy.

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