With infant formula, innovating means getting ever closer to breast milk

Here are some of the more groundbreaking milestones that have made our infant formula what it is today, meeting both babies’ nutritional needs and parents’ preferences.

How Our Infant Formula Has Evolved

Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last conducted a major review of infant formula nutritional content in 1998, here’s what’s been happening at Abbott.  

2024 Similac 360 Total Care with 5 Human Milk Oligosaccharides* (HMOs) new clinical study: Abbott's clinical study confirmed that Similac 360 Total Care with 5 HMOs demonstrated clinical benefits in gut health, immune support, and brain development compared to a formula without HMOs***. The 5 HMO formula also confirmed similar growth to breast fed infants[1].

2021 Similac 360 Total Care with 5 HMOs: Similac 360 Total Care (and Similac 360 Total Care Sensitive) became the first and only infant formulas in the U.S. with five HMO prebiotics structurally identical to five of the most abundant HMOs found in breast milk.

2021 Similac Alimentum with 2´-FL HMO: Abbott introduces the first and only hypoallergenic infant formula with 2´-FL HMO so that babies with allergies can receive an immune-nourishing ingredient.

2020 Similac Organic with A2 milk: Abbott launched the first infant formula with organic A2 milk in the U.S., which includes A2 beta casein, a similar milk protein like that found in breast milk. This product was rebranded to Pure Bliss Organic with A2 Milk in 2024.

2017 Similac Advance with increased Inositol: Abbott increased the amount of inositol in Similac Advance to more closely match breast milk levels. Inositol, a sugar naturally found in breast milk, plays an important role in brain development.

2016 Similac Pro-Advance with 2´-FL HMO: Always at the forefront of innovation, Similac became the first infant formula in the U.S. to include HMOs, which were previously found only in breast milk. Dr. Rachael Buck, an immunology expert at Abbott, hypothesized the importance of HMOs in breast milk. She and her team of scientists spent 15 years investigating their inclusion in Similac, where HMOs have been clinically shown to support gut health and the developing immune system more like that of breastfed babies.

2015 Similac Non-GMO: To meet the growing consumer preference, Abbott launched the first infant formula in the U.S. made without genetically engineered ingredients, an innovation we have since brought to other products.

2013 Similac Total Comfort: Abbott launched a partially hydrolyzed protein infant formula intended for babies who may have difficulty tolerating traditional milk-based formulas.

2010 Similac for Spit-up: This mild tolerance formula was developed to reduce the frequency of spit-up occurrences with added rice starch to thicken the formula.

2008 Similac with Prebiotics and Carotenoids: Similac added two new ingredients: prebiotics (galacto-oligosaccharides) to soften stools more like that of breastfed infants and a blend of carotenoids, including lutein, for eye health.

2006 Similac Organic: Similac became the first USDA certified organic infant formula in the U.S. giving parents more choice in their infant feeding journey.

2002 Similac Advance with DHA and ARA: Abbott continued to drive the science when it launched Similac with DHA (Omega-3) and ARA (Omega-6) for brain and eye development.

1999 Similac with Nucleotides: Following the 1998 comprehensive assessment of infant formula nutritional composition, Abbott pioneered the inclusion of ingredients for an infant’s developing immune system by adding nucleotides to Similac, which was clinically shown to support the adaptive immune system.

The Future of Infant Nutrition

With every advancement, we aim to get closer to nature’s gold standard, breast milk. And an important part of that process is clinical testing.

Abbott has recently conducted the largest and longest U.S. clinical study¹ on infant formula with added HMOs^**** to evaluate the health outcomes of these important prebiotics on babies and toddlers — research that will be ready to publish in the coming months.

We’re also listening to what parents and consumers are asking about so that, as we continue to innovate, we’ll also continue to give them the choices they’re seeking as they nourish the unique needs of their babies.

References

¹ Reverri EJ, et al. Cognitive Outcomes after 12 Months of Feeding an Infant Formula with 5 Specific Human Milk Oligosaccharides: A Large, Randomized, Controlled Trial. JPGN Reports 2025;6(S1):S1174.

*Not from human milk

** Not studied in Similac 360 Total Care Sensitive

***In infants fed Similac 360 Total Care with 5 HMOs at or during the first 6 months of age and cognition at 12 months of age. Brain development refers to clinically shown benefits in language and social development like breastfed babies.

**** A clinical study through 6 months of age comparing 607 infants fed Similac 360 Total Care, formula without HMOs, and breastmilk in the U.S.