Important notice to customers — product packaging changesLearn More

NEW FOOD PACKAGING IN STORE NOW

From August 2018, customers will notice our rebranded food packaging start to appear on shelf in all major stockists.

  • CURRENT Packaging
  • new Packaging

We are excited to announce our new packaging will start to appear on shelf from August 2018. This transition to new packaging will occur over a number of months. During this time there will be a mix of current and new packaging on shelf.

There are no major changes to these products, in some instances there is a small name change or slight recipe improvement, see below for the full details.

Products purchased via the website will be delivered to customers in our old packaging until the end of October. From November, products ordered from the website will be delivered in the new packaging.

Please note, our Infant Formula packaging will not be rebranded until later in 2019.

For any questions, connect with our team of accredited practising Dietitians on +61 3 6332 9200

Product name changes

  • Cereal Name Changes
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Baby Rice
  • NEW Packaging Organic Rice with Prebiotic (GOS) Note: Our Baby Rice recipe has been upgraded to now include GOS Prebiotic
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Vanilla Rice Custard
  • NEW Packaging Organic Milk & Vanilla Baby Rice
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Apple & Cinnamon Porridge
  • NEW Packaging Organic Apple & Cinnamon Baby Porridge
  • Ready To Serve Name Changes
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Banana, Pear & Mango
  • New Packaging Organic Banana, Pear, Apple & Mango
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Mango, Blueberry & Apple
  • New Packaging Organic Blueberry, Mango & Apple
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Peach & Apple
  • New Packaging Organic Grape, Apple & Peach
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Pumpkin & Tomato Risotto
  • New Packaging Organic Pumpkin, Sweet Potato & Tomato
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Broccoli, Beef & Brown Rice
  • New Packaging Organic Beef & Vegetables
  • Note: We have also upgraded some of our RTS recipes to remove added sugars and to remove some of the more complex ingredients that are not required for young children such as Tamari.
  • RUSKS NAME CHANGES
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Milk Rusks Toothiepegs
  • New Packaging Organic Milk Rusks
Home/Nutrition & Recipes/Articles/Childhood Nutrition/Nutrition/What are probiotics and should I give them to my baby?

What are probiotics and should I give them to my baby?

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Of all the new dietary trends – the use of probiotics and prebiotics to help promote optimal gut health continue to grow in popularity. This is due to the continuing growth of new research linking their use to a number of health benefits.

What are probiotics?

So what are probiotics and should you give them to your baby or toddler?

Probiotics are known as the “good bacteria” and are microorganisms naturally found in the human digestive tract that improve the balance of healthy bacteria. Probiotics have been shown to:

  • Help reduce digestive symptoms such as constipation and bloating;
  • Help restore gut flora after consuming a course of antibiotics – antibiotics can kill the good bacteria naturally found in the gut; and
  • Help rebalance the bacteria required for optimal nutrient absorption.

Where do you find probiotics?

Probiotics are found in a variety of food sources including fermented drinks and yoghurts. For adults, just one to two serves a day of these foods can reduce bloating in sensitive stomachs. For individuals who cannot eat yogurts or milk-based drinks – probiotics can also be found in supplement form. Adding probiotics to your diet is an effective way to get your daily dose of “good gut health”.

As probiotics are active living microorganisms, they often need to be kept in the fridge and consumed by the used by dates.

What are prebiotics?

Prebiotics promote the growth and function of different types of good bacteria in the gut. Research has emerged that prebiotics may also play a significant role in immune function. Prebiotics found in various fibrous foods move through the digestive tract undigested and then act to feed the good bacteria to optimise gut balance. As a result, the gut is healthier and better able to absorb nutrients as they pass through the digestive tract.

Where do you find prebiotics?

For adults, there are a wide range of foods that naturally contain prebiotics. In particular, these include aromatic vegetables including onions, leeks and celery. Wheat bran, soybeans, rye based breads and bananas also contains prebiotics. Aim to include at least one to two serves a day of these foods to help feed the good bacteria in your gut and aid immune function long- term.

Benefits of feeding your baby probiotics and prebiotics?

When it comes to babies and young children it is important to know that babies are born with a sterile gut. They have bacteria introduced to them via breastmilk or breastmilk alternatives. There is no evidence to show that adding probiotics into the diets of infants or toddlers is an issue. Most importantly, evidence does link probiotic use to the prevention and management of allergies and eczema. Probiotics may also be beneficial in preventing diarrhea. This means adding an infant friendly probiotic to your baby or toddler’s daily food intake will be highly beneficial.

It is worth noting, foods including un-ripened bananas and fermented vegetables contain prebiotics. However, these are a little heavy for small infants and toddler’s guts. Children are best introduced to these types of foods as they get older – around four or five years.

Some toddler milks contain added prebiotics that have been shown to help improve stool consistency and frequency.

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Important Notice to Parents and Guardians

  • Breast milk is the best for babies. The World Health Organisation recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. Unnecessary introduction of bottle feeding or other food and drinks will have a negative impact on breastfeeding. After six months of age, infants should receive age-appropriate foods while breastfeeding continues for up to two years of age or beyond. Consult your doctor before deciding to use infant formula or if you have difficulty breastfeeding.
  • The content on this website is intended as general information for Singaporean residents only and should not be used as a substitute for medical care and advice from your healthcare practitioner. According to recommendations from the Singapore Health Promotion Board, solid food should be given to babies only after 6 months.