BABY MILK has come a long way(取得了很大进步) since a patented(获得专利的) "soup for infants" made with cow's milk, potassium bicarbonate(碳酸氢钾), and wheat and malt flour(麦芽粉) was introduced in Prussia(普鲁士) in 1865. Today the Food and Drug Administration(美国食品药品监督管理局) (FDA), an American regulator, requires baby formulas to have minimum levels of 30 nutrients(30种营养素的最低含量) including iron, iodine and vitamin D.
自1865年普鲁士推出一种用牛奶、碳酸氢钾、小麦和麦芽粉制成的专利“婴儿汤”以来，婴儿奶粉已经取得了长足进步。如今，美国监管机构食品药品监督管理局（FDA）要求婴儿配方奶粉必须含有至少30种营养素的最低含量，包括铁、碘和维生素D。
Formula-makers these days are just as keen to(同样热衷于) tell people about the extras(额外添加物) they add to their products, too. In 2023 the BMJ(英国医学杂志), a journal, published a study of 757 formula products in 15 rich and poor countries. Many trumpeted(大肆宣传) additives such as prebiotics(益生元), probiotics(益生菌) and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs(长链多不饱和脂肪酸); some of which must be included in formula sold in Britain and the EU). The benefits claimed included supporting “growth and development” and “a healthy immune system(健康的免疫系统)”. The most common claim, appearing on just over half the formulas that claimed benefits, was that they helped develop the brain, eyes or nervous system.
如今的配方奶粉制造商同样热衷于宣传他们产品中添加的额外成分。2023年，《英国医学杂志》（BMJ）发表了一项涵盖15个富国和穷国共757种配方产品的研究。许多产品大肆宣传益生元、益生菌和长链多不饱和脂肪酸（LCPUFAs；其中一些必须包含在英国和欧盟销售的配方中）等添加剂。声称的益处包括支持“生长发育”和“健康的免疫系统”。最常见的声称（出现在略过半数的宣称有益处的配方中）是它们有助于大脑、眼睛或神经系统的发育。
Do they? Infant formulas are usually classified as food rather than medicines, which leaves them freer to make claims about benefits without the backing of rigorous trials.(婴儿配方奶粉通常被归类为食品而非药品，这使得它们在宣传益处时更加自由，无需严格试验的支持。) Three-quarters of the products evaluated did not cite scientific references. Of the references that were cited, only half were clinical trials(临床试验). Of those trials, fewer than a third were registered(注册的). Among the small group of registered trials that used a randomised comparison(随机化比较), nine in ten(十分之九) claims relied on evidence the study’s authors deemed to have a high risk of bias(偏倚风险). Industry funding(行业资助) and affiliations were common.
它们真的有效吗？婴儿配方奶粉通常被归类为食品而非药品，这使得它们在宣传益处时更加自由，无需严格试验的支持。评估的产品中四分之三没有引用科学参考文献。在引用的参考文献中，只有一半是临床试验。在这些试验中，不到三分之一是注册的。在少数使用了随机比较的注册试验中，十分之九的声称所依据的证据被研究作者判定为具有高偏倚风险。行业资助和关联很常见。