Implementation
1. Background Research
In recent years, the market scale of infant milk powder in China has continued to expand. According to a report
published by Prospective Economist, the size of the domestic infant milk powder market has broken through the 170
billion yuan threshold in 2020. Although maybe due to the declining fertility rate and other reasons, the growth
rate of the infant milk powder market in China continued to decline from 2017 to 2020[1], the whole market share of
infant milk powder is still increasing. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the quality of powder so as to deal
with the opportunities and challenges.
Figure: Market share (billion in CNY) and growth rate (%) of the infant milk powder from 2014-2020 in China
(Source：Prospective Economist)
Meanwhile, breastfeeding has seemed to be popular in recent years, with many women of childbearing age and some
institutions promoting it[2]. But still many women in China are also unwilling to feed their infants with breast
milk, worried about the risk of transmission of genetic disease shares, harm to their own health, and chest ptosis.
Therefore, if we succeed in producing a kind of infant milk powder having the advantages of breast milk while
avoiding the concerns of breast milk feeding, it is likely to own a great market in the future.
HMOs, as a kind of unique ingredient in human milk, nowadays are more and more popular in the development of infant milk powder. Especially, 2 '- fucosyllactose (2' - FL) is the largest proportion of human milk oligosaccharides, which plays an important role in promoting the development of healthy intestinal flora and immune system, preventing allergic diseases, and promoting the development of cognitive ability[3]. This information all deliveries important business information to us that we could produce a kind of infant milk powder with HMOs and bring it into the market.
HMOs, as a kind of unique ingredient in human milk, nowadays are more and more popular in the development of infant milk powder. Especially, 2 '- fucosyllactose (2' - FL) is the largest proportion of human milk oligosaccharides, which plays an important role in promoting the development of healthy intestinal flora and immune system, preventing allergic diseases, and promoting the development of cognitive ability[3]. This information all deliveries important business information to us that we could produce a kind of infant milk powder with HMOs and bring it into the market.
2. Goals and Product
Our work aims to use the sweet potato residue wasted in agricultural production as the source of glucose, and use
Saccharomyces cerevisiae as the cell factory to continuously synthesize 2'-FL for infant milk powder. Therefore, the
nutritional composition of infant formula supplemented with 2 '- FL is closer to that of breast milk than other milk
powders so as to provide another option for mothers besides breastfeeding and improve the nutritional status of
infants who aren't breastfed. The utilization of sweet potato residue further extends the industrial value chain,
realizes the transformation of resources and high-value applications, and promotes sustainable development.
In order to achieve the purpose, we conducted some research and experiments. Based on the consequence, we will further to produce a new infant milk powder by our brand, called Maia Milk Powder.
In order to achieve the purpose, we conducted some research and experiments. Based on the consequence, we will further to produce a new infant milk powder by our brand, called Maia Milk Powder.
2.1 Experimental Design and Result
Our team aims to produce 2'-FL from S. cerevisiae through
the cell factory method. In order to obtain the high yield of 2'-FL, we introduced the four exogenous genes
including Lac12, gmd, wcaG, and Wbgl (their enzymes matter for the conversion of 2'-FL) into S. cerevisiae genome
using CRISPER-cas9.
Cellular Factory Concept
Finally, the positive colonies will be incubated in the shaker, enabling produce 2'-FL in sweet potato mash. These
colonies (gene-engineered yeast) will be our core technology for Maia Milk Powder production.
Production of 2'-FL from sweet potato residues in recombinant yeast
Per the productivity test result above, after 48 hours
the presence of lactose was not detected, and finally yielded 0.6 g/L of 2'-FL.
2.2 Product Designed
Maia milk powder is our main product of us. Our package uses a cylindrical aluminum tank to hold our milk powder
products. We have two kinds of packages: 400 grams per tank and 900 grams per tank. The kind of 400 grams per tank
is a height of 10 centimeters and a width of 9 centimeters. The kind of 900 grams per tank is a height of 16.1
centimeters and a width of 12.7 centimeters. We add the 2’FL, the key nutrition as HMO into our milk powder in
addition to other necessary nutrition so as to make our milk powder close to breast milk.
Concept Map of Maia Milk Powder
Other information:
● Capacity: Considering the various need of our customers, we will provide two options: small (400g) and large
(900g).
● Usage: For each tank of Maia milk powder we will provide a special spoon with a capacity of 4.6g. In general, each baby will need 4 scoops of milk powder per meal and add 250 ml of water at 45 degrees Celsius to brew.
● Best taste period: Generally speaking, a tank of milk powder will be consumed in 13 days. For the best taste experience, we recommend taking it within one month after opening the package
● Usage: For each tank of Maia milk powder we will provide a special spoon with a capacity of 4.6g. In general, each baby will need 4 scoops of milk powder per meal and add 250 ml of water at 45 degrees Celsius to brew.
● Best taste period: Generally speaking, a tank of milk powder will be consumed in 13 days. For the best taste experience, we recommend taking it within one month after opening the package
3.Target Customers
There is a large market for infant milk powder in China. Our Maia milk powder is mainly targeting each lactating
mother, especially those who have trouble with breastfeeding or are not willing to, or whose babies require
additional supplement nutrition from milk powder. Our Maia milk powder presents very similar nutrition to breast
milk so as to provide a good option in addition to breast milk.
According to the report published by IMedia Research in 2019, nearly 80% of the customers in China could accept the
price of infant milk powder (900g/tank for example) between 200CNY to 400CNY[1]. After calculating our development
cost and others, we settle down our price at 240CNY per tank (900g), which is affordable for average families and
not to mention Maia milk powder with an additional nutrition 2'-FL added. Therefore, our Maia milk powder shall be
open to wider income-ranged consumer groups.
Figure: Price (CNY) distribution (%) on milk powder in 2019 China (Source: IMedia Research)
4. Safety and Challenges
The concern for safety is the unswerving pursuit of our research group. From the selection of experimental materials
to the processing, all the way to our final production products, safety is the first principle.
The biggest challenge we must face is from the policy side. China's milk powder industry has a special management method, which is the "Administrative Measures for the Registration of Infant Formula Milk Powder Products". Therefore, we must strictly follow national standards to produce and sell our products.
Another challenge is that our products still need to go through many necessary clinical trials and collect consumer feedback.
Considering the different needs of babies at different stages, we also need to pay more attention to adjusting the proportion of different milk powder ingredients. In this work, we still need to conduct more research and consult more experts.
● In our experiment, materials are safe and not pathogenic including Taq, primer star MAX and Not I, E. coli
(DH5α), and S. cerevisiae. Before we performed the bacteria experiment, the pipette tips and the culture medium
had undergone high temperature and pressure to eliminate the other bacterial contamination.
● Regarding future industrial production, under the supervision of the government, we will follow strict production specifications after obtaining the production license. During the production, we put the S. cerevisiae into a fermentation tank with the sweet potato residue for fermentation. After fermentation, separation, and purification, we can obtain 2'-FL, which after quality assessment to be proven to meet the relevant standards, we can ensure is safe and harmless, and then it is added to milk powder in a certain proportion and finally presented to the consumers.
● Regarding future industrial production, under the supervision of the government, we will follow strict production specifications after obtaining the production license. During the production, we put the S. cerevisiae into a fermentation tank with the sweet potato residue for fermentation. After fermentation, separation, and purification, we can obtain 2'-FL, which after quality assessment to be proven to meet the relevant standards, we can ensure is safe and harmless, and then it is added to milk powder in a certain proportion and finally presented to the consumers.
The biggest challenge we must face is from the policy side. China's milk powder industry has a special management method, which is the "Administrative Measures for the Registration of Infant Formula Milk Powder Products". Therefore, we must strictly follow national standards to produce and sell our products.
Another challenge is that our products still need to go through many necessary clinical trials and collect consumer feedback.
Considering the different needs of babies at different stages, we also need to pay more attention to adjusting the proportion of different milk powder ingredients. In this work, we still need to conduct more research and consult more experts.
5. Future Plan
1-7 August 2022 is the 31st World Breastfeeding Week. However, with women's work pressure and other reasons, some
women have to adopt partial breastfeeding or even give up breastfeeding. Therefore, it is undoubtedly of great
significance to "copy" milk powder that is similar to or even better than breast milk as much as possible.
Although so far we have achieved some progress to approach our final goal, there is still a long go. Below we list
some future plans for proceeding with our project in the future
● Further Researches and Experiments
Firstly we will conduct more experiments to explore the optimizing conditions for our gen-engineered yeast to yield more 2'-FL. Secondly, we realize that breast milk contains proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, water, and numerous biologically active substances, which provide infants with all the nutrients they need in their early life. Therefore, in addition to providing energy for infants, our milk powder should also have some of these active substances as much as possible, such as immunoglobulin, lactoferrin, lysozyme, cytokines, and active cells. These have an important role in the immune system of infants and young children, which is also the direction of our research group's future efforts.
● Further Market Plan and Promotional Strategies
As mentioned above, our company will produce Maia milk powder and bring them in the China market. In the future, we plan to provide other customized services, specifically, the Maia-Hub, which functions as an offline institution for testing the compositions of breast milk and the commensurable customization of milk powder. More business plan details can be found on the Supporting Entrepreneurship page.
● Further Researches and Experiments
Firstly we will conduct more experiments to explore the optimizing conditions for our gen-engineered yeast to yield more 2'-FL. Secondly, we realize that breast milk contains proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, water, and numerous biologically active substances, which provide infants with all the nutrients they need in their early life. Therefore, in addition to providing energy for infants, our milk powder should also have some of these active substances as much as possible, such as immunoglobulin, lactoferrin, lysozyme, cytokines, and active cells. These have an important role in the immune system of infants and young children, which is also the direction of our research group's future efforts.
● Further Market Plan and Promotional Strategies
As mentioned above, our company will produce Maia milk powder and bring them in the China market. In the future, we plan to provide other customized services, specifically, the Maia-Hub, which functions as an offline institution for testing the compositions of breast milk and the commensurable customization of milk powder. More business plan details can be found on the Supporting Entrepreneurship page.
Reference
1.“The Market Share of Domestic Milk Powder Has Returned to the Level before ‘Melamine’, and the Foreign Giant Mead
Johnson Will Sell Again.” Bai Jia Hao, GuanChaZhe, 9 Feb. 2022,
https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1724276553802042436&wfr=spider&for=pc.
2.“The New Generation of Mothers’ Willingness to Breastfeed Highlights Their Desire for Guidance from Authoritative Experts.” Bai Jia Hao, Oriental Headlines, 21 May 2019, https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1634149804017823899&wfr=spider&for=pc.
3.Lee J W, Kwak S, Liu J J, et al. Enhanced 2′-Fucosyllactose production by engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae using xylose as a co-substrate[J]. Metabolic engineering, 2020, 62: 322-329.
4.Prentice Philippa et al. Breast milk nutrient content and infancy growth.[J]. Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992), 2016, 105(6) : 641-7.
2.“The New Generation of Mothers’ Willingness to Breastfeed Highlights Their Desire for Guidance from Authoritative Experts.” Bai Jia Hao, Oriental Headlines, 21 May 2019, https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1634149804017823899&wfr=spider&for=pc.
3.Lee J W, Kwak S, Liu J J, et al. Enhanced 2′-Fucosyllactose production by engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae using xylose as a co-substrate[J]. Metabolic engineering, 2020, 62: 322-329.
4.Prentice Philippa et al. Breast milk nutrient content and infancy growth.[J]. Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992), 2016, 105(6) : 641-7.