Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) function as prebiotics in the infant gut by selecting for specific species of bifidobacteria and bacteroides, but little is known about their potential utilization by Enterobacteriaceae, the relative numbers of which have been linked to the onset of necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants. In this study, the in vitro growth of purified HMOs and other related carbohydrates was evaluated using individual strains of Enterobacteriaceae and an Enterobacteriaceae consortia enriched from piglet feces. None of the Enterobacteriaceae strains grew on 2'-fucosyllactose, 6'-sialyllactose, or lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT); however, several strains were capable of utilizing galactooligosaccharides, maltodextrin, and the mono- and disaccharide components of HMOs for growth. The enriched fecal consortia also did not grow on 2'-fucosyllactose or 6'-sialyllactose, but there was limited growth on LNnT. It was concluded that 2'-fucosyllactose and 6'-sialyllactose supplementation of preterm infant formula should not lead to an increase in Enterobacteriaceae; however, supplementation with LNnT may require further study.
Keywords: Enterobacteriaceae; carbohydrate utilization; human milk oligosaccharides; necrotizing enterocolitis; prebiotics.