An infant milk formula specially designed to meet the specific needs of the small premature infant was compared with a modified infant milk formula in common use. Healthy infants of very low birth weight were fed with either the specially designed infant milk formula or the standard modified infant milk formula. No statistically significant differences between the two groups of infants were found, although the weight gain, skinfold thickness, serum total protein, albumin and calcium values were marginally better at 28 days in the group fed with the specially designed formula.