AU2263800A - Nourishing products enriched with nucleosides and/or nucleotides for infants and adults and processes for their preparation - Google Patents

Description

S&F Ref: 211265D2

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

0* Name and Address of Applicant Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Abbott Laboratories 100 Abbott Park Road Abbott Park Illinois 60064-3500 United States of America Angel H Gil, Daniel V Morales, Eduardo Valverde Spruson Ferguson St Martins Tower 31 Market Street Sydney NSW 2000 Nourishing Products Enriched with Nucleosides and/or Nucleotides for Infants and Adults and Processes for Their Preparation Invention Title: The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5845c Nourishing Products Enriched with Nucleosides and/or Nucleotides for Infants and Adults and Processes for Their Preparation The present invention relates to the composition and the preparation of nourishing products suitable for both infants and adults, particularly when dietetic or physiological deficiencies are present. These products are enriched with nucleosides, nucleotides, or mixtures thereof.

More specifically, said products, which may be administered orally or by enteral feeding, are adapted milks for pre-term infants, initial milks, follow-up milks, dietetic products, lactose free dietetic products and hypoalergenic dietetic products.

The European Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition (ESPGAN), the American Academy of Paediatric (AAP), the Codex Alimentarius Mundi, and the European Community Council, among other international organisations, have given general rules for the composition of infant formulas (ESPGAN Committee on Nutrition, Acta Paed. Scand, Supl 287, 1981; ESPGAN Committee on Nutrition, Acta Paed. Scand, Supl 302, 1982; 15 ESPGAN Cominittee on Nutrition, Acta Paed. Scand, Supl 330, 1987; AAP Committee on Nutrition, Paediatric Nutrition Handbook, 1979; AAP Committee on Nutrition, Paediatrics, 976, 1985; EEC Council, 85-C 28-05 COM (84) 703 in fine, 1985; EEC Council, 86-C 124-06 COM-86 91 in fine, 1986; Codex Alimentarius Mundi, Codex Stan 72-1981).

As used in this description, the term -infant formulas- refers to the milk and non-milk 20 substances for infant nutrition, particularly as defined by ESPGAN (Committee on Nutrition, Acta Paed. Scand., Supl. 262, p. 3, supra) and also the AAP (Paediatrics, Vol. 57 no 2, p. 281, February 1976).

Infant formulas are derived, to a large extent, from cow's milk. After being diluted, cow's milk is enriched with serum proteins diverse carbohydrates, such as lactose, dextrinmaltose and starches, different mixtures of vegetal and animal fats, vitamins and minerals, in suitable amounts to meet the requirements of low birth weight newborns or those of at-term healthy infants during the first and second semester of live.

Sometimes, infant formulas contain isolated milk proteins, isolated vegetal proteins or protein hydrolysates, from different origins such as casein, lactalbumin, soy and meat. Also, these infant formulas have one or more carbohydrates (sucrose, dextrinmaltose and starches), mixtures of diverse kind of fats, minerals and vitamins, to meet not only the healthy newborns' nourishing requirements, but also of infants and children with symptoms of lactose intolerance, protein intolerance and, in general, with diverse malabsorptionmalnutrition syndromes.

[I:\DAYLB\L1BCjDO752.doc:MCN Usually, infant formulas tend to have a composition qualitatively and quantitatively as similar as possible to human milk. Nevertheless, despite the efforts made by several researchers, infant formulas still have a number of differences in their composition compared to human milk. This is because the latter has many substances, such as immunoglobulins, free amino acids, polyamines, nucleotides, polyunsaturated fatty acids, etc., which are not present in cow's milk. Thus it would be desirable that infant milk formulas have most of the substances present in human milk so as to produce the same physiological effects as human milk.

Regarding nutritional products for adults, specially for dietary purposes, even in o0 hospitals, are based on the utilisation of diverse protein sources (casein, sodium and calcium caseinates, isolated soy proteins, protein hydrolysates and/or crystalline amino acids) mixtures of vegetal and animal fats, carbohydrates (basically glucose polymers), vitamins and minerals to meet, at least, the dietary intakes recommended for healthy individuals (Committee on Dietary Allowances, Food and Nutrition Board, Nat. Acad. Sci. 9th Ed, 15 1980).

Protein energy malnutrition (PEM) is found in many patients admitted to hospitals.

This happens not only in developing countries, but also in those with a high socioeconomic level where the percentages of medical-surgical patients vary between 40-50% Bistrian et al. JAMA, 235, 1567, 1976; G. Hill et al. Lancet, 1, 689, 1977; Gassull et al. Human Nutr.: Clin. Nutr. 38C, 419, 1984). Proper nutritional support for such patients, while not a primary mode of treatment is, nevertheless, an important factor for therapy and recovery. It is, therefore important to administer a nutritionally balanced diet given orally, enterally or parenterally, adequate to the needs of the patient. This is specially true for those patients where conventional feeding is contraindicated (gastroenterological patients) or is insufficient (hypercatabolic patients). The enteral or oral mode of administration of foods is preferable to parenteral modes Cabre and M.A. Gassull, J. Clin. Gastroenterol. Nutr., 1, 97, 1986) because of the lower morbidity, trophic effect upon the intestinal mucosa, lower necessity for instruments and lower costs.

Dietetic products for proper nourishment of patients are formulated to meet the requirements of those individuals in specific situations. Thus, complete balanced diets with an energy content between 130-150Kcal/g nitrogen, are recommended for the preventive and repletive therapy in cases of PEM due to nervous anorexia, oesophageal stenosis, maxillofacial surgery, chronic vasculo-cerebral disease, long evolution neurological syndromes, vascular surgery postoperative period, malabsorption syndromes, preoperative period, incomplete intestinal occlusion, preparation of colon (surgery, radiology and [l:\DAYLIB\LIBC]00752.doc:MCN endoscopy) and, in general, in all cases when it is necessary to take a balanced diet of nutrients. Diets with a high content of nitrogen (80-120Kcal/g nitrogen) are recommended for the nutritional therapy of bum patients or patients suffering cranial trauma, multiple trauma, open fractures, Crohn disease, ulcerous colitis, digestive fistula, sepsis, oncology surgery, oncological radiotherapy and chemotherapy, pre- and postoperative periods, orthopaedic surgery, and, in general, for catabolic patients.

Diets containing protein hydrolysates as a source of amino nitrogen are specially made for the nutritional support of patients with diverse malabsorption-malnutrition syndromes, such as short bowel, acute celiac disease, Crohn disease, chronic pancreatic insufficiency, 0o cystic fibrosis, intestinal fistulas, postoperative nutrition, and the like.

Furthermore, such products can be made as specific clinical diets for specific diseases, such as hepatopathies, chronic renal disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

In addition, there is a variety of dietary products marketed to meet the nutritional needs of various individuals. For example, many individuals desirous of achieving varying 15 degrees of weight loss, may benefit from the use of a special nutrition diet formulation to provide specific nutrients otherwise provided by a normal diet. Likewise, many people find it necessary to supplement their daily diet with additional nutrients due to age, allergy or physical afflictions.

As used herein, the terms diets, formulas and nutritionally balanced products are intended to refer to the aforementioned types of products.

Currently marketed nutrition products do not contain nucleic acids or their simpler compounds -nucleosides and/or nucleotides- which are normally present in foods and carry out fundamental physiological functions described further on.

In relation to the nutritional importance of nucleotides, some relevant aspects of these compounds such as their content in human milk, physiological effects in newborns, intestinal absorption, tissue utilisation and effects upon cell immunity are shown below.

US 4 544 559 teaches that human milk has a specific nucleotide content, very different from cow's milk. Human milk contains, at least, twelve different nucleotides, predominating CMP (cytidine monophosphate), AMP (adenosine monophosphate), UMP (uridine monophosphate), GMP (guanosine monophosphate), IMP (inosine monophosphate) and uridine derivatives, whereas cow's milk has very low amounts of CMP and AMP it lacks the other nucleotides and has high amounts of orotic acid, which is absent in human milk.

Also, US 4 544 559 teaches that a humanised milk enriched with nucleotides (AMP, CMP, GMP, UMP, IMP) in the same range as human milk, stimulates the development of [I:\DAYLIB\LIBC]00752.doc:MCN Bifidobacterium bifidum Ti at the intestinal level. This bacterium comprises 80% of the total bifidobacteria present in the faeces of breast-fed newborns. Furthermore, this humanised milk promotes a serum fatty acid profile very similar to that found in newborns fed with human milk.

US 3 231 385 describes infant milk formulas supplemented with certain nucleotides to simulate human milk, improve the milk taste and lower the curd tension.

Nucleotides can be synthesised in most tissues by two processes: de novo synthesis from the precursors which include pirophosphoribosilphosphate, glutamine, aspartate, glycine, formiate and carbon dioxide, and utilisation of the bases and nucleosides 0o liberated through the catabolism of nucleotides and nucleic acids contained in foods. This last way, called salvage pathway, is an important alternative when biosynthetic de novo pathways are hindered by an insufficient supply of precursors. Tissues such as bone marrow, intestine and liver are heavily dependent on said salvage pathway. The activity of the salvage pathway has also been shown demonstrated in kidney, brain and retina.

15 The intestinal mucosa needs a continuous supply of nucleotides or their precursors from dietary origin, apart from the hepatic supply by the vascular system, in order to maintain continuous synthesis of RNA It has been confirmed in cuts made in the small intestine of rats that the exogenous ATP (adenosine triphosphate) increases the intracellular concentration of this nucleotide and it has been observed that at temperatures over 20 0 C the marked exogenous ATP is absorbed by everted sacs of rat small intestine. Also, it has been shown in rabbit's ileum "in vitro" that, at low concentrations, the ATP as well as the nucleoside adenosine are absorbed through a carrier associated to the enterocyte membrane.

Since the carrier system works for ATP and adenosine, it is likely that the system also works for other purine nucleotides, because competitive inhibition measures have proved that any compound with a purine ring united to a ribose molecule is absorbed It has also been shown that the purines and pyrimidines in the RNA and DNA, present in the diet, are absorbed by mice, preferably as nucleosides. Between 2-5% of the nucleosides are used for nucleic acid synthesis in intestinal tissue, and citosine nucleosides are used for DNA synthesis, specially in the spleen. Further, it has been shown that purine bases, such as adenine, guanine, hypoxanthine and xanthine are almost completely absorbed by rats, 4.5-6.5% being incorporated in tissues and in a greater proportion by the liver and intestine.

The absence of pyrimidine or purine derivatives in the diet is known to suppress the normal function ofT-lymphocytes Rudolph et al. Adv. Exp. Med. Biol., 165,175, 1984), [I:ADAYB\LBC]752.dOC:MCN and to increase the mortality in experimental animals by staphylococcus sepsis. The addition of pyrimidine and purine derivatives to the diet decreases the susceptibility of animals to infection Kulkami et al, JPEN, 10, 169, 1986). Thus, the effect of purines and pyrimidines on the immune function can be of great importance in a number of clinic situations, such as transplants of organs in patients, malnutrition recovery, in diverse chemotherapeutic regimens and in the treatment of leukemias derived from T-cells.

Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide improved nutritionally balanced diet formulations.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved non-milk or milk based to infant formulas which not only closely resemble human milk, but which are more readily absorbed by the infant gut and enhance the infant's immune response.

These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent from the description which follows.

The present invention provides a range of compositions of infant formulas and adults 15 nutrition products enriched with nucleosides, nucleotides or mixes of these two classes of compounds and the processes for their preparation. The products are in a liquid ready to eat form, or concentrated liquid or powder.

According to a first embodiment of this invention, there is provided a nutritionally balanced nourishing product, specially suitable for the preparation of infant formulas and 20 dietetic products for adults, which contains a source of amino nitrogen, carbohydrates, edible fats, minerals and vitamins, characterised by as added substance, adenosine and at least another nucleotide selected from the group consisting of uridine, guanosine, cytidine and inosine.

According to the invention, adenosine, guanosine, cytidine, inosine, and uridine or their mixes are used as nucleosides, and adenosine phosphate, guanosine phosphate, cytidine phosphate, inosine phosphate and uridine phosphate or their mixes are used as nucleotides.

The term uridine phosphate, guanosine phosphate, etc., is intended hereinbefore to refer collectively to the mono, di and/or tri phosphate as well as the sugar derivatives of the nucleotides mentioned. However, for various reasons which will be apparent to those knowledgeable in the art, the 5'-monophosphates are the preferred nucleotides.

The supplementation of nucleosides and/or nucleotides or their mixes to infant formulas and nutrition balanced diet formulations gives a better physiological fatty acid tissue membrane composition to newborns and adults, an improved cell immunity and a better intestinal repair in those individuals with intestinal diseases.

[I:\DAYLIB\LIBC]00752.doc:MCN According to a second embodiment of this invention, there is provided a nutritionally balanced nourishing product in powder form, specially suitable for the preparation of infant formulas and dietetic products for adults, which contains a source of amino nitrogen, carbohydrates, edible fats, minerals and vitamins, characterised by further comprising, as added substance, adenosine, adenosine phosphate or mixtures thereof, and at least the mixture of one of the following nucleosides and corresponding nucleotides: uridine and uridine phosphate; guanosine and guanosine phosphate; cytidine and cytidine phosphate, or inosine and inosine phosphate, wherein the total combined nucleoside and nucleotide content is in the range of 50 to 1250mg for each 100g of product.

According to a third embodiment of this invention, there is provided a nutritionally balanced nourishing product in liquid form, specially suitable for the preparation of infant formulas and dietetic products for adults, which contains a source of amino nitrogen, S* carbohydrates, edible fats, minerals and vitamins, characterised by further comprising, as added substance, adenosine, adenosine phosphate or mixtures thereof, at least the mixture of 15 one of the following nucleosides and corresponding nucleotides: uridine and uridine phosphate; guanosine and guanosine phosphate; cytidine and cytidine phosphate, or inosine and inosine phosphate, wherein the total combined nucleoside and nucleotide content is in the range of 10 to 250mg for each decilitre of product.

Thus, the product must contain at least one of the fifteen different possible components. Generally, the product will contain from 1 to 300mg (based on 100g of dry product) of the aforesaid components, with a preferred range being from about 50 to about 250mg. The optimum amount appears to be about 150mg per 100g of product.

On a liquid basis, these ranges correspond to from about 0.2 to 60mg/dL, and preferably about 10 to about 50mg/dL, with the optimum being about According to a fourth embodiment of this invention, there is provided a cow's milk free infant formula comprising carbohydrates, a source of amino acids, vegetable oils, minerals and vitamins, characterised by further comprising, as added substance, adenosine, adenosine phosphate or mixtures thereof, at least one of the following substances: uridine, uridine phosphate or mixtures thereof; guanosine, guanosine phosphate or mixtures thereof; cytidine, cytidine phosphate or mixtures thereof, or inosine, inosine phosphate or mixtures thereof.

A further embodiment of the invention provides for improved non-milk infant formulas. Such non-milk formulas are well known and generally comprise carbohydrates, a source of amino acids, vegetable oils, minerals and vitamins. According to the invention, there is added to such formulas at least one of the following substances: uridine, uridine [i:\DAYB\LIBC]00752.doC:MCN phosphate or mixtures thereof; guanosine, guanosine phosphate or mixtures thereof; adenosine, adenosine phosphate or mixtures thereof; cytidine, cytidine phosphate or mixtures thereof, or inosine, inosine phosphate or mixtures thereof.

As a minimum, at least about 0.27mg per 100g of product of one of said compounds should be added to the infant formula. Generally, the non-milk infant formulas according to the invention require on a dry weight basis in mg per 100g of product the following quantities: uridine and/or uridine phosphate 17.40-1.86mg; guanosine and/or guanosine phosphate 3.32-0.27mg; adenosine and/or adenosine phosphate 9.50-4.25mg; cytidine and/or cytidine phosphate 10.16-3.52mg, and inosine and/or inosine phosphate 1.92- 0.00mg.

On a liquid basis, per dL, these formulations generally correspond as follows: uridine and/or uridine phosphate 2.62-0.28mg; guanosine and/or guanosine phosphate 0.50- S 0.04mg; adenosine and/or adenosine phosphate 1.43-0.64mg; cytidine and/or cytidine phosphate 1.53-0.53mg, and inosine and/or inosine phosphate 0.29-0.00mg.

s15 For reasons discussed more fully below, it may be desirable to add small amounts of o.

L-cystine and/or carnitine to the non-milk based infant formulas.

According to a fifth embodiment of this invention, there is provided an infant milk formula containing cow's milk, sugars, vegetable oils, minerals and vitamins, characterised by further comprising at least one nucleoside selected from the group consisting of uridine, 20 guanosine, adenosine, cytidine and inosine.

The added nucleosides must be present in an amount about 0.27mg per 100g of product on a dry basis. To provide for a closer simulation of human breast milk and also enhance absorption by the infant gut, there should be added to the infant milk formula the following approximate quantities for each 100g of product: uridine and/or uridine phosphate 17.40-1.86mg; guanosine and/or guanosine phosphate 3.32-0.27mg; adenosine and/or adenosine phosphate 3.75-0.00mg; cytidine and/or cytidine phosphate 4.58-0.00mg, and inosine and/or inosine phosphate 1.92-0.00mg.

On a liquid basis the corresponding quantities per dL will be as follows: uridine and/or uridine phosphate 2.62-0.28mg; guanosine and/or guanosine phosphate 0.50-0.04mg; adenosine and/or adenosine phosphate 0.56-0.00mg; cytidine and/or cytidine phosphate 0.69-0.00mg, and inosine and/or inosine phosphate 0.29-0.00mg.

According to a sixth embodiment of this invention, there is provided a method for the stimulation or repair and regeneration of intestinal cells in infants and adults, said method comprising the enteral administration of a nourishing product characterised by comprising at least one of the following nucleosides, nucleotides or mixtures thereof: uridine, uridine [I:\DAYLIBLIBC]00752.doc:MCN phosphate, guanosine, guanosine phosphate, adenosine, adenosine phosphate, cytidine, cytidine phosphate, inosine and inosine phosphate.

According to a seventh embodiment of this invention, there is provided a method for enhancing the immune response of T-cells and for providing specific fatty acid phospholipid profiles in red blood cell membranes in infants and adults, said method comprising enterally administering to said infants and adults, a nourishing product containing at least one of the following nucleosides, nucleotides or mixtures thereof: uridine, uridine phosphate, guanosine, guanosine phosphate, adenosine, adenosine phosphate, cytidine, cytidine phosphate, inosine and inosine phosphate.

o0 According to an eighth embodiment of this invention, there is provided a process for the preparation in liquid form and aseptic packaging of nourishing products enriched with nucleosides and/or nucleotides, having a composition according to the invention characterised by comprising the steps of: Mixing water and non-fat solids, in the absence of any vitamins, nucleosides and 15 nucleotides; Preheating the mixture to a temperature ranging from 75 to 80 0 C; Deaerating of the said mixture; Injection of a mixture of edible fats in the deaerated mixture; Homogenising the mixture under pressure; Cooling of the mixture in the range of 4-6 0

C;

Standardising the mixture by addition of those nucleosides, nucleotides, vitamins, minerals and other components not added in first step, adjusting the pH in the range of 6.8 to 7.1; 20 UHT sterilising of the standardised mixture; Homogenising of the mixture under pressure followed by cooling, and Aseptic packaging of the obtained product.

According to a ninth embodiment of this invention, there is provided a process for the "preparation in liquid form and bottling of nourishing products enriched with nucleosides and/or nucleotides, having a composition according to the invention, characterised by comprising the steps of: Mixing water and non-fat solids, in the absence of any vitamins, nucleosides and nucleotides; Preheating the mixture to a temperature ranging from 75 to 0 C; Deaerating of the said mixture; Injection of a mixture of edible fats in the deaerated mixture; Homogenising the mixture under pressure; Cooling of the mixture in the range of 4-6°C; Adjusting pH in the range of 6.8 to 7.1; UHT sterilising of the adjusted mixture; Standardising of the sterilised mixture by addition of those nucleosides, nucleotides, vitamins, minerals and other components not added in first step; Reheating of the standardised mixture to 30-70C; Bottling of the reheated mixture, and Sterilising the final bottled product.

According to a tenth embodiment of this invention, there is provided a process for the preparation in powder form of nourishing products enriched with nucleosides and/or [I:\DAYLlB\LIBC]00752.doc:MCN nucleotides, having a composition according to the invention, characterised by comprising the steps of: Mixing water with the non-fat solids, in the absence of the vitamins, nucleosides and nucleotides; Preheating the mixture to a temperature ranging from 75 to Deaerating of the said mixture; Injection of a mixture of edible fats in the deaerated mixture; Homogenising the mixture under pressure; Cooling of the mixture in the range of 4-6°C; Standardising of the cooled mixture by addition of those nucleosides, nucleotides, vitamins, minerals and other components not added in first step, adjusting the pH in the range of about 6.8 to about 7.1; Reheating of the standardised mixture to 65 to 70 0

C;

Homogenising of the reheated mixture under pressure; Drying in a spray drier, and io Packaging of the obtained product.

Basically, infant formulas, according to the invention have a composition adequate for meeting the requirements of low birth weight infants, at-term infants, children with lactose S intolerance, children with cow's milk protein intolerance or children with diverse malabsorption syndromes.

15 The infants formulas and nutritionally balanced diet products of the present invention have been found to stimulate repair and regeneration of intestinal gut cells, enhance the .immune response of T-cells and provide for specific fatty acid phospholipids profiles in red blood cell membranes.

The use of nucleosides is a characterising feature of the products according to the 20 invention. These materials generally have been found to be at least as effective as their corresponding nucleotides, and even more effective in providing for enhanced absorption through use of the salvage pathway in the human body, since nucleotides present in the diet first need to be hydrolysed into nucleosides. However, this process is not carried out under a quantitative pattern and, therefore, must be concluded the higher bioavailability of nucleosides when compared to nucleotides, together with the synergism produced when both nucleosides and nucleotides are mixed. This action may be due to the higher water solubility of nucleosides as compared to the corresponding nucleotides. A food supplemented with nucleotides may vary in its nucleotide composition along the time, if it is processed in such a way that phosphatases from residual microorganisms can exert their enzymatic action. This can occur, for example, in pasteurised products and in spray-dried products. However, a food supplemented with nucleosides maintain its specific nucleoside composition for all its commercial life.

When nucleosides and/or nucleotides or their combinations are added to infant formulas in concentrations in the same range as human milk, according to this invention, they stimulate the conversion of essential fatty acids to their polyunsaturated fatty acids (I:\DAYLIB\L1BC]00752.doc:MCN (PUFA), which is reflected in the fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membrane both in the at-term newborn and in the pre-term newborn as well as in the fatty acids composition of plasma phospholipids.

In a study carried out by the inventors, 20 at-term newborns were fed exclusively on human milk, 19 with a conventional infant formula and 19 with the same infant formula supplemented with nucleotide-5'-monophosphates according to this invention, in similar concentrations to those of human milk. The relative content of PUFA, of the w6 series, derived from linoleic acid, as well as 03 series, derived from linolenic acid, was significantly decreased, specially in phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine of the erythrocyte membrane in infants fed conventional milk formula with respect to infants fed nucleotide-5'-monophosphates supplemented milk formula or human milk. The same happened in the plasma phospholipids and cholesteryl esters. The arachidonic (20:40o6) and Sdocosahexaenoic (22:603) acids were the most increased fatty acids in infants fed nucleotide-5'-monophosphates supplemented milk formula, with respect to those fed is conventional milk formula.

In another study, 19 pre-term infants were fed exclusively on human milk, 18 with an infant milk formula for premature infants and 18 with the same milk formula supplemented with nucleotides-5'-monophosphates in concentrations similar to those of human milk, according to this invention. At one month of life, the relative contents of eicosatrienoic acid (20:3c6), arachidonic acid (20:406), docosatetraenoic acid (22:406) and docosapentaenoic acid (22:50o6) were significantly decreased in the erythrocyte membrane phospholipids in infants fed milk formula with respect to those fed supplemented milk formula or human milk. Also, infants fed supplemented milk formula showed an intermediate value of docosahexaenoic acid (22:60) 3) between those fed human milk and those fed milk formula. The same results were observed in the plasma phospholipids of pre-term newboms.

The modulating effect of nucleosides and nucleotides of the diet upon cell immunity has been proved through the following method: Six groups of BALB-C mice, constituted by 10 mice each, aged four weeks, weaning period, were fed with a conventional diet, a nucleosides and nucleotides free diet, a diet supplemented with nucleosides according to this invention, in the following proportions: of uridine, 50mg or guanosine, 50mg of adenosine, 50mg of cytidine and 50mg of inosine, a diet supplemented with nucleosides in proportions equivalent to mouse milk, a diet supplemented with 50mg of the following nucleotides UMP, GMP, CMP, AMP and IMP according to this invention and a diet supplemented with nucleotides in proportions [I:\DAYLIB\LIBC]00752.dOC:MCN 11 equivalent to mouse milk, respectively. The mice were fed during a period of four weeks, and it was carried out with them the testing of the cell immune response "in vitro" as response to allogeneic and syngeneic antigens using the lymphocyte mixed culture technique and quantifying the cell proliferation by the incorporation of 3H-thymidine to DNA and secondly was carried out the testing of the proliferation as response to phytohaemaglutinin (mitogen agent) to quantify the state of lymphocyte reactivity also with the incorporation of 3H-thymidine.

The mice fed on the free nucleoside or nucleotide diets had an immune response mediated by T-cells lower than the other groups having a diet supplemented with these compounds.

The effects of nucleosides and nucleotides of the diet on the intestinal cell proliferation and on their enzymatic activity is proved as follows: Two groups of Wistar mice, of 20 animals each, from the weaning (21 days of age), are fed during two weeks, the first of them on a diet (Diet A) containing 167g of calcium 15 caseinate, 489.5g of corn starch, 150g of sugar, 50g of cellulose, 100g of soy oil, 3g of DLmethionine, 1.lg of choline chloride, 38.2g of a mineral mixture and 1.2g of a vitamin mixture, per kg, to satisfy the nutritional requirements of these animals. The second group was fed with a similar diet, but with lactose instead of starch (Diet In this second group takes place an osmotic diarrhoea because of lactose intolerance giving rise to a malnutritionmalabsorption syndrome. Both groups are divided in two subgroups of 10 animals each, the first subgroup being fed on Diet A 2nd the second with on Diet A supplemented with of each of the following nucleosides: uridine, guanosine, adenosine, cytidine and inosine, during 4 weeks or with 50mg of each or the following nucleotides: UMP, GMP, AMP, CMP and IMP according to this invention.

The animals suffering malabsorption syndrome refed on the nucleoside or nucleotide supplemented diet, according to the invention, had ileal, jejunal and duodenal mucosa weight significantly superior to those fed on a diet without such compounds. Also, the proportion of cells in a mitosis state, the mucosa protein content and the maltase and sucrase enzymatic activities were significantly higher in animals fed on the nucleoside or nucleotide supplemented diet than in those fed on a diet without such compounds.

Basic ingredients for infant formulas include cow's milk, proteins, whey proteins, casein and its salts (ie. calcium caseinate), soy protein isolates are used in the products made for infants with lactose intolerance and/or cow's protein intolerance. Protein hydrolysates (ie. casein and lactalbumin hydrolysates) with low molecular weight, may also be used for the products made for the treatment of infant malabsorption syndromes.

[I:\DAYLIB\LIBC]00752.doc:MCN The proportions of the diverse component nutrients are similar to those of human milk. Thus, the ratio of whey proteins to casein currently varies from 60:40 to 70:30 in infant formulas based on milk. The mixture of fats employed is made up of edible fats to provide an essential fatty acids profile. Lactose is used exclusively as the carbohydrate source for at-term newborns infants, except that dextrinmaltose is employed in products used for the treatment of lactose intolerance and malabsorption syndromes in infancy.

Infant formulas according to the invention contain minerals (including calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese and iodine) and vitamins (including vitamin A, D 3 C, B 1

B

2

B

6

B

1 2 pantothenic acid, E, Ki, folic acid, biotin) adequate for the infants' requirements. Also, in the products whose source or proteins is derived from soy or protein isolates or hydrolysates, caritine is included to satisfy the nutritional requirement for this compound in infants with malabsorptive syndromes.

The inventors of the present compositions and processes have demonstrated that the 15 amounts of citosine, adenine, guanine, uracil and inosine derivatives in human milk, expressed as CMP, AMP, GMP, UMP and IMP, vary between 1.53-0.54, 1.43-0.69, 0.50- 0.12, 2.62-1.40 and 0.29-0.00mg/dL respectively and the individual contents of CMP, AMP, GMP, UMP and IMP oscillate between 1.73-0.53, 1.19-0.64, 0.21-0.04, 0.56-0.28, 0.29- 0.OOmg/dL, respectively.

The content of nucleosides and/or nucleotides in the infant formulas of the present invention are in the range of those for human milk. An exemplary nucleoside and/or nucleotide mixture for infant formulas not containing cow's milk, according to the invention, is shown in Table 1.

Table 1 Content of nucleosides and/or nucleotides in infant formulas without cow's milk.

Powdered product Liquid product _Range Range Nucleosides and/or Nucleotides mg/100g mg/dL Uridine/Uridine phosphate 3.42 17.40-1.86 0.51 2.62-0.28 Guanosine/Guanosine phosphate 1.49 3.32-0.27 0.22 0.50-0.04 Adenosine/Adenosine phosphate 6.90 9.50-4.25 1.03 1.43-0.64 Cytidine/Cytidine phosphate 6.87 10.16-3.52 1.03 1.53-0.53 Inosine/Inosine phosphate 1.00 1.92-0.00 0.15 0.29-0.00 (I:DAYLIB\LIBCJ00752.doc:MCN The amounts of adenosine and/or adenosine phosphate, cytidine and/or cytidine phosphate, inosine and/or inosine phosphate added to cow's milk based infant formulas, according to this invention, are lower than those shown in Table 1, because cow's milk contains specific amounts of said compounds. Table 2 is an exemplary mixture of nucleosides and/or nucleotides for infant milk formulas containing cow's milk.

Table 2 Content of nucleosides and/or nucleotides in infant formulas with cow's milk.

Powdered Product Range Liquid product Range Nucleosides and/or Nucleotides mg/100g mg/dL Uridine/Uridine phosphate 17.40-1.86 2.62-0.28 Guanosine/Guanosine phosphate 3.32-0.27 0.50-0.04 Adenosine/Adenosine phosphate 3.75-0.00 0.55-0.00 Cytidine/Cytidine phosphate 4.58-0.00 0.69-0.00 Inosine/Inosine phosphate 1.92-0.00 0.29-0.00 The dietary products for balanced nutrition of adults, according to the invention, have a composition of nutrients adequate to the specific requirements of not only healthy human in need of a balanced nutritional product, but also those individuals in situations of energyprotein malnutrition and in hypercatabolic states derived from traumatic, septic, surgical processes and malabsorption syndromes.

As nitrogenous sources, the following components are preferably employed: a mixture of dairy proteins (casein or sodium and calcium caseinates and lactose free lactalbumin) and protein hydrolysates with low molecular weight (maximum molecular weight 1000 Daltons, average molecular weight 500 Daltons). As carbohydrate sources, glucose polymers are employed, such as dextrinmaltose with a different grade of dextrose equivalent degree, preferably between 10 and 30DE. Fats are employed as a mixture of animal and one or more vegetable fats to meet the essential fatty acids requirements.

Nutritional products for adults according to the present invention provide mineral elements which include trace element and vitamins in adequate proportions to satisfy the specific requirements of normal healthy individuals as well as those suffering malabsorption-malnutrition processes and in a hypercatabolic state The nutritional products are enriched with nucleosides and/or nucleotides in similar amounts of nucleotides to those present in foods.

An example of a nucleoside and/or nucleotide mixture for the enrichment of nutritionally balanced products is shown in Table 3.

[I:\DAYLIB\LIBC]00752.doc:MCN Table 3 Content of nucleosides and/or nucleotides in nutritionally balanced products of adults.

Powdered product Liquid product Range Range Nucleosides and/or Nucleotides mg/ 10g mg/dL Uridine/Uridine phosphate 150 1-300 30 0.2-60 Guanosine/Guanosine phosphate 150 1-300 30 0.2-60 Adenosine/Adenosine phosphate 150 1-300 30 0.2-60 Cytidine/Cytidine phosphate 150 1-300 30 0.2-60 Inosine/Inosine phosphate 150 1-300 30 0.2-60 On a dry weight basis, the amount of nucleosides and/or nucleotides may each vary from about 1 to about 300mg per 100g of product, and preferably the total ranges from about 50 to about 1250mg per 100g of product. On a liquid basis the amount may vary from about 0.2 to about 60mg/dL of each nucleoside and/or nucleotide, and preferably the total ranges from about 10 to about 250mg.

to The invention also includes the processes to obtain infant formulas, as well as specific diets to be used in good nutrition, enriched with nucleosides and/or nucleotides.

The products can be prepared in liquid, ready to be used, concentrated to be diluted in water before its use, and in powder forms.

These processes comprise, in all cases, the preparation of a mixture containing water and non fat solids, except vitamins, some minerals and nucleosides and/or nucleotides, followed by a preheating to 75-80 0 C, deaeration of the mixture, injection of the fat mixture, double homogenisation at 70-75 0 C (usually 150kPa in the first stage and 50kPa in the second) cooling to 4-6 0 C and storage in standardisation tanks.

The liquid products ready for consumption or in concentrates to be diluted before use, are standardised in the said tanks, adapting the pH to values generally ranging from about 6.8 to about 7.1 and most preferably ranging from about 6.8 to about 7.0 for infant formulas and from about 6.9 to about 7.1 for adult nutritional products.

When the products are going to be UHT (ultra-high temperature) sterilised and aseptically packed in containers made of carton-aluminium-polyethylene, during the standardisation, the vitamins, minerals and nucleosides or nucleotides mixtures are added as concentrated aqueous soloutions and the content of mineral elements is adjusted by adding [I:\DAYLIB\LIBC]00752.doc:MCN the requires salts. The nucleoside and/or nucleotide solutions should be maintained preferably at pH 6-6.5 to avoid them to hydrolyse.

Once standardised, the products for consumption in liquid or concentrated forms, are sterilised through an UHT system at 145-150 0 C for 2-4 seconds and can be either aseptically packed or bottled in glass or polyethylene bottles. In the latter case, products are standardised prior to the UHT sterilisation, only in their solids contents, and the pH is adjusted to values equivalents as noted above; immediately after they are sterilised, refrigerated at 4-6 0 C and stored in standardisation tanks, the vitamins, minerals and the nucleoside and/or nucleotide solutions are added; afterwards the products are reheated at o0 70°C, packed in polyethylene or glass bottles, and sterilised in a continuous steriliser at 120- 121 0 C for 10 minutes.

In the case of powder products, after the phases concentrated solids recombination, preheating, deaeration, fat mixture injection, homogenisation, refrigeration, final pH standardisation, concentration and addition of vitamins, minerals nucleosides and/or 15 nucleotides, the mixture is reheated to 65-70 0 C, homogenised at 100-150kg/cm 2 and dried in a spray drier. Afterwards, the powdered product is packed in polyethylene-aluminium containers or in cans, internally coated with varnish, under inert atmosphere, or in other *acceptable containers.

A better understanding of the processes of the invention will be obtained from the 20 detailed description which follows, given in relation to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic view of plant manufacturing process for preparing products of the present invention.

Following the schema of said figure, the general process and its alternatives are described in more detail below.

Example A Through the heat exchanger deionised water is fed to storage tanks at a temperature between 60-70 0 C. Through the centrifugal pump and tri-blender non fat solids (proteins, carbohydrates and some minerals) are dissolved being maintained the temperature at 60-65 0 C by means of heat exchanger The resulting mixture is fed through positive pump to filters and heat exchanger to be heated to 75-80 0 C for 15-20s to get the product pasteurised; being immediately deaerated in a vacuum deaerator lowering the temperature to 70-75°C.

Afterwards, the deaerated product is fed through centrifugal pump (10) and mixed with fat through fat injector The mixture of fats stored in tank (12) has been fed through positive pump (13) to the heat exchanger (14) to be heated at 70-75 0 C before reaching fat [I:\DAYLIBXLBC]00752.dmc:MCN injector A retention valve (11) prevents the product which contains the non fat solids and fat to go back to the deaerator. Immediately after fats are mixed to the non fat solids mixture, the product is homogenised at (16) at a temperature of about 70-75 C and 200- 300kg/cm 2 of total pressure, in two stages (1st stage 150-200kg/cm 2 2nd stage 100kg/cm2).

For liquid products which are to be aseptically packaged, after homogenisation in they are cooled to 4-6 0 C in plate heat exchanger (917) and fed to the pair of isothermal standardising tanks (18) where the pH is adjusted to from about 6.8 to about 7.1 depending on the product desired. Vitamins, minerals, nucleosides and/or nucleotides in the required to amounts are fed to (18) and the resulting mixture is fed by pumps (19) and (20) to a UHT steriliser (21) at 145-150 0 C during 2-4s, and homogenised in (22) (preferably in a double stage at 80 0 C and 200-250kg/cm 2 then is cooled to 20-25 0 C in heat exchanger (23) and aseptically packaged in ie. brick type packs of cardboard, aluminium and polyethylene.

For liquid products which are to be bottled, the process is the same as above through 15 the cooling treatment in Then the pH is adjusted in tanks (18) to above noted values.

The mixture is fed by pumps (19) and (20) for UHT sterilisation at (21) and homogenisation at The sterilised mixture is cooled in (23) and fed directly to standardising tanks (32) where vitamins, minerals, nucleosides and/or nucleotides as required are added. From tanks and by means of pump the mixture is fed to reheater (34) where the temperature is raised to about 30 0 C for polyethylene bottles to 70 0 C for glass bottles. The product is bottled in a filling machine (35) and subjected to sterilisation in (37) at a temperature of about 120-121°C for about 10 to 15 minutes.

For powder products, the process is the same as above through homogenisation in As shown by the dotted line in the figure, the product is fed to heat exchanger (24) and cooled to about 4 to about 6 0 C and fed to isothermal standardising tanks where the pH is adjusted and the required vitamins, minerals, nucleosides and/or nucleotides are added.

Then the standardised product is pumped by (26) through filters (27) and fed to reheater (28) where the temperature is raised to about 65 to about 70°C, and then filtered in (29) and homogenised at (30) under a pressure of about 100-200kg/cm 2 The homogenised product is fed to a spray drying tower (31) and collected for packaging.

The invention will be readily understood from the following examples, which; are not to he construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

Example 1 This example provides a product made to feed pre-term and low birth weight infants, enriched with nucleosides and/or nucleotides according to the invention. Basically, the I:\DAYLIB\LIBC]00752.doc:MCN

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The product has been adapted in the proteins, fat carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins contents to the ESPGAN and AAP international recommendations as related to the feeding of low birth weight infants (ESPGAN, Committee on Nutrition, Acta Paediatr. Scand., 1987 (in press); AAP, Committee on Nutrition, Paediatrics, 1985).

Table 4 1O0g powder For lO0mL liquid Maltodextrins 289%4.33% Vegetable oils mixture 20.23% 3.03% Skim milk (0.05% fat) 14.5 8% 2.19% Lactalbumnin 12.13% 1.82% Lactose 11.92% 1.79% Butterfat 6.45% 0.97% Minerals 3.26% 0.49% Calcium caseinate 1.97% 0.296% Lecithin 0.41% 0.061% Vitamins 0.12% 0.018% Nucleosides and/or nucleotides 0.0078% 0.00 12% Ascorbile palmitate 0.006% 0.0009% DL-acTocopherol 0.00 1% 0.0001% Nucleosides and/or nucleotides Uridine and/or uridine monophosphate 3.42mg 51 Spg Guanosine and/or guanosine monophosphate 1.49mg 225 t Adenosine and/or adenosine monophosphate 1.32mg 200pjg Cytidine and/or cytidine monophosphate 1. 12mg 1 70 jig Inosine and/or inosine monophosphate 0.45mg 70 jig Mineral salts Calcium lactate 1.74g 0.26g Sodium phosphate dibasic 0.65g 97mg Calcium phosphate 0.36g 54mg S S

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Potassium chloride 0.23g 34mg Potassium phosphate dibasic 0. 17g 26mg Ferrous lactate 51.7mg 7.6mg Magnesic sulfate 49mg 7.3mg Zinc sulfate 7.3mg 1.1mg Cupric sulfate 1.9mg 285 jig Sodium fluoride 1Ming 225jgg Potassium and chromium sulfate 5104jg 76jgg Sodium molybdate 265gjg 404ji Sodium selenite 1 80gjg 27 jig Manganese sulfate 83gjg 12jg Potassium iodide 64uR I Ojig Vitamins added: Vitamin A 1 600RU 2401U Vitamin D 6001U 9011U Vitamin E 5.5mg 825 jig Vitamin K 60gjg 9jgg Thiamine 0.4mg 60 jig Riboflavin 0.45mg Pyridoxine 0.251ng 37 jig Niacin 6.7mg ling Calcium pantothenate 5.5mg 825 jig Vitamin B 12 1.4ig 0. 16jig Biotin 15g 2.2jig Folic acid 350 jig 52pjg vitamin C 100mg 1Im Example 2 This example provides a milk formnula made to feed at-term infants, during the first year of life, preferably for the 6 first months of lactation, supplemented with nucleosides and/or nucleotides in similar concentrations to those of human milk, according to the invention.

The product has been adapted in its composition and content of nutrients to the ESPGAN and AAP international recommendations for this kind of infants (ESPGAN, [I:\DAYLIB\LIBCj00752.dOC:MCN 0 0* Committee on Nutrition, Acta Paediatr. Scad., Supi. 262, 1977 AAP, Committee on Nutrition, Paediatric Nutrition Handbook, 1979).

Table For 1 00g powder For 1 OOmL liquid Ingredients: Water 87% Lactose 42.61% 5.54% Vegetable oils 13.37% 1.74% Powdered milk (26% fat) 25.47% 3 31% Demineralised whey (65% proteins) 9.28% 1.21% Butterfat 7.77% 1.01% Mineral salts 1.11% 0.14% Lecithin 0.3 1% 0.04% Vitamins 0.069% 0.009% Nucleosides and/or nucleotides 0.0078% 0.00 1% Ascorbile palmitate 0.00 1% 0.0001% DL-axTocopherol 0.003% 0.0004% Nucleosides and/or nucleotides added: Uridine and/or uridine monophosphate 3.42mg 445kig Guanosine and/or ganosine monophosphate 1.49mg 195[.tg Adenosine and/or adenosine monophosphate 1.32mg 170J.Lg Cytidine and/or cytidine monophosphate 1. 12mg 145p Inosine and/or inosine monophosphate 0.45mg 58[tg Mineral salts Tricalcium citrate 0.31g Tripotassium citrate 0.35g Calcium chloride 0.16g 21mg Dibasic potassium phosphate 0.24g 31mg Ferrous lactate 39mg 5.1mg Zinc acetate 8.5mg 1.1mg Cupric sulfate 1. 10mg 143g Manganese sulfate 155[tg 20 tg 0 00 S 0* S [I:\DAYLIB\LIBC]00752.doc:MCN 9 .9 9* S S .9 *9 9 *5 9*

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5* Potassium iodide 65j ig 8.4 jig Vitamins added: Vitamin A 1600WU 208TU Vitamin D 300rUJ 391U Vitamin E 5.5mg 715jig Vitamin KI 60 jig 7.8 jig Calcium pantothenate 5.5mg 715jgg Vitamin B 12 1.1 jig 0. 14jig Biotin 15jig 1.9 jg Folic acid 25gjg 3.2 jig Vitamin C 50mg Nicotinamide 6.7mg 870 jig Vitamin B2 450 jig 58jig Vitamin B 1 400 jig 52pjg Vitamin B6 300 ig 3 i Example 3 This example provides an infant milk formula made to feed healthy infants from months to one year of live, supplemented with nucleosides and/or nucleotides, according to the invention. The product has been adapted in its composition and content of nutrients to the ESPGAN recommendations for these infants (ESPGAN, Committee on Nutrition, Acta Paediatr. Scan. Supi. 287. 1981).

Table 6 For 1 Oog of powder For 1 0OmL of liquid Ingredients Water Lactose 19.28% 2.89% Vegetable oils mixture 6.08% 0.9 1% 46.61% 6.99% 23.18% 3.48% Demineralised whey 4.22% 0.63% Mineral salts 0.41% 0.061% Lecithin 0.14% 0.021% Vitamins 0.069% 0.01% [1:\DAYLIB\LIBC]00752dOC:MCN

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Nucleosides and/or nucleotides 0.0078% 0.0012% Ascorbile palmitate 0.001% 0.0001% DL-aTocopherol 0.003% 0.0004% Nucleosides and/or nucleotides Uridine and/or uridine monophosphate 3.42mg 515[tg Guanosine and/or guanosine monophosphate 1.49mg 225 .ig Adenosine and/or adenosine monophosphate 1.32mg 200kLg Cytidine and/or cytidine monophosphate 1. 12mg 1 70 tg Inosine and/or inosine monophosphate 0.45mg Mineral salts added: Monocalciumn phosphate 0.36g 54mg Ferrous lactate 39mg 5.8mg Zinc acetate 8.5mg 1.3mg Cupric sulfate 1.1mg 165pgg Manganese sulfate 155ptg 234~g Potassium iodide 65pgg 9.7[Lg Vitamins added: As in Example 2. Example 4 This example provides a lactose free infant formula, containing protein from milk origin, supplemented with nucleosides and/or nucleotides in the same quantities as in human 5 milk, according to the invention.

The product has been adapted in its composition and content of nutrients to the international recommendations mentioned before.

Table 7 1 OOg of powder For 1 0mIL of liquid Water Vegetable oils mixture 10.3 5% 1.55% Maltodextrins 58.03% 8.7% Calcium caseinate L-cystine 16.7% 2.5 1% Butterfat 11.96% 1.79% Mineral salts 2.18% 10.33% [I:\DAY'LIB\LIBC]00752.dOC:MCN V.9% 000 0 0.

Lecithin 0.69% 0.103% Vitamins 0.069% 0.01% Carnitine 0.0089% 0.0013% Nucleosides and/or nucleotides- 0.0078% 0.00 12% DL-aTocopherol 0.003% 0.0004% Ascorbile palmitate 0.00 1% 0.0001% Nucleosides and/or nucleotides added: Uridine and/or uridine monophosphate 3.42mg 515pjg Guanosine and/or guanosine monophosphate 1.49mg 225 jig Adenosine and/or adenosine monophosphate 3.32mg 500 jig Cytidine and/or cytidine monophosphate 4.98mg 750Ltg Inosine and/or inosine monophosphate 1.00mg 1 Mineral salts Dibasic potassium phosphate 588mg 88mg Ferrous lactate 48mg 7.2mg Tripotassium. citrate 522mg 78mg Zinc acetate 11.2mg 1.7mg Cupric sulfate 1.15mg 0. 17mg Manganese sulfate 107 jig 16jig Potassium iodide 65 jig 9.7 jig Calcium lactate 272mg 41mg Sodium chloride 389mg 58mg Magnesium chloride 260mg 39mg Vitamins added As in Example 2.

Other substances L-cystine 0.lg Carnitine 8.9mg 1.3mg Example This example provides a lactose free adapted infant formula containing a protein isolate. .from vegetal origin, supplemented with nucleosides and/or nucleotides, according to the invention.

The product has been adapted, as in Example 4, in its composition and content of nutrients to the suckling children and newborns.

[I:\DAYLIB\LIBC]00752.doc:MCN 9 9 .9 9 9 99.9 9* 9 .9 9* 99 99*9 9999 9 9 9 9 *999 9 9 .9 9. 9 6* 99 Table 8 For 1 OOg of powder For I 0OmL of liquid Ingredients: Water Vegetable oils mixture 10.35% 1.55% Maltodextrins 57.20% 8.58% Soy protein isolate 16.67% Butterfat 11.96% 1.79% Mineral salts 3.04% 0.46% Lecithin 0.69% 0.103% Vitamins 0.069% 0.01% Carnitine 0.0089% 0.0013% Nucleosides and/or nucleotides 0.0078% 0.00 12% Ascorbile palmitate 0.00 1% 0.0001% DL-cffocopherol 0.003% 0.0004% Nucleosides and/or nucleotides Uridine and/or uridine monophosphate 3.42mg 51 Guanosine and/or guano sine monophosphate 1.49mg 225 t Adenosine and/or adenosine monophosphate 3.32mg 500 tg Cytidine and/or cytidine monophosphate 4.98mg 750)-ig Inosine and/or inosine monophosphate 1.00mg 150)4 Mineral salts added: Dibasic potassium phosphate 450mg 67.5mg Ferrous lactate 48mg 7.2mg Tripotassium citrate 628mg 94.2mg Zinc acetate 11.2mg 1.7mg Cupric sulfate 1. 1 8rg 0. 18mg Manganese sulfate 107 jtg 25)4g Potassium iodide 65[tg 9.7 t Calcium lactate 873mg 131mg Calcium chloride 370mg 55.5mg Magnesium chloride 260g 3 9mg [I:\DAYLtB\LlBq]00752.doc:MCN S

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Calcium carbonate 400mg Vitamins added: As in Example 2.

Other substances Carnitine 8.9mg1.m Example 6 This example provides a lactose free infant formula which contains a mixture of lactalbumin and casein hydrolysates with a low molecular weight, supplemented with nucleosides and/or nucleotides, as specified in the invention.

The composition and content of nutrients are adapted to the nursing children and newborns' requirements, as in Examples 4 and Table 9 lOOg of powder For lO0mIL of liquid Ingredientswater Vegetable oils mixture 16.98% 2.55% Maltodextrins 52.48% 7.87% Lactalbumin enzymatic hydrolysate 12.3 1% 1.85% Casein enzymatic hydrolysate 5.16% 0.77% Corn starch 4.87% 0.73% Butterfat 4.29% 0.64% Mineral salts 3.19% 0.48% Emulsifier 0.60% 0.09% Lecithin 0.0231% 0.0035% Vitamins 0.069%o 0.01% Carnitine 0.0089% 0.0013% Nucleosides and/or nucleotides 0.0078% 0.0012% Ascorbile palmitate 0.0015% 0.0002% DL-ccTocopherol 0.0038% 0.0006% Nucleosides and/or nucleotides added: Uridine and/or uridine monophosphate 3.42mg 515Ltg Guanosine and/or guanosine monophosphate 1.49mg 225g Adenosine and/or adenosine monophosphate 3.32mg 500pgg Cytidine and/or cytidine monophosphate 4.98mg 750pgg (I:\DAYLIB\LBC00752.dOC:MCN 0S S. S 5

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Inosine and/or inosine monophosphate 1.00mg 150pg Mineral salts added: Dibasic potassium phosphate 0.12g 18mg Ferrous lactate 39mg 5.8mg Tripotassium citrate 0.85g 0.13g Zinc acetate 10mg Cupric sulfate 2.2mg 330Ltg Manganese sulfate 307-ig 46|-g Potassium iodide 65ptg 9.7|-g Calcium phosphate 0.86g 0.13g Calcium chloride 0.49g 73mg Magnesium sulfate 0.20g Sodium phosphate dibasic 0.38g 57mg Potassium chloride 0.24g 36mg Sodium fluoride 310-ig 46.5[g Potassium and chromium sulfate 115 ig 17pjg Sodium molybdate 83.gg 12p.g Sodium selenite 37jtg Vitamins added: As in Example 2.

Other substances added: Carnitine 8.9mg 1.3mg The products in Examples 4, 5 and 6 contain carnitine in similar concentration to that found in human milk to satisfy the newborns' requirements of this compound.

The products in Examples 1 to 6 are presented as liquid products, ready to use, as liquid concentrate products, to be used with the addition of water and as powdered products.

Example 7 Example 7 provides a complete product and nutritionally balanced to be used orally or by feeding tubes, with an energy ratio of 146Kcal/g nitrogen, enriched with nucleosides and/or nucleotides in agreement with the invention.

The composition and content of nutrients have been adapted to the specific nutritional requirements of adults suffering energy-protein malnutrition.

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Table For 1 0g of powder For 10OnmL of liquid Ingredients: Water 78.7% Vegetable oils mixture 12.1% Maltodextrins 52.13% 51.2% Lactalbumnin 11.63% 2.48% Calcium, caseinate 10.05% 2.14% Butterfat 8.84% 1.88% Mineral salts 3.79% 0.79% Emulsifier 0136% Stabiliser 0.02% Soy lecithin 0.66% Vitamins 0.026% 0.005% Nucleosides and/or nucleotides 0.75%o 0.15% Ascorbile palmitate 0.02326% 0.0008 DL-cffocopherol 0.0008% 0.0002% Nucleosides and/or nucleotides added: Urdn n/ruidn oohsht 150mg Guanosine and/or guanosine monophosphate 150mg Adenosine and/or adenosine monophosphate 150mg Cytidine and/or cytidine monophosphate 150mg 3Gmg Inosine and/or inosine monophosphate 150mg 30 mg Mineral salts added: Sodium phosphate dibasic 1.1 g 270mg Ferrous lactate 21mg 4mg Dibasic potassium phosphate 0.28g 34mg Zinc acetate 14mg 3mg Cupric sulfate 3mg 640 tg Manganese sulfate 4mg 760ptg Potassium iodide 49pg l Optg Calcium chloride 10.31g 58mg [I:\DAYLIBULBC]00752.doc:MCN Magnesium sulfate 1.0 14g 203mg Potassium chloride 0.99g 210mg Sodium fluoride 2.2mg 442pjg Potassium and chromium sulfate 480gjg 96 pg Sodium molybdate 315ptg 63 gg Sodium selernte 166pjg 33pjg Sodium chloride 50mg 6mg Vitamins added.

Vitamin A 250pjg Vitamin D 2.Sjig 0.5 jig Vitamin E 2.5mg Vitamin K1 35pg 7jig Pantothenic acid 1.75mg 0.35mg Vitamin B 12 0.75 jig 0.l1jig Biotin 50[Lg lojig Folate 1 00 jig Vitamin C 15mg 3mg Niacin 4.75mg 0.95mg Vitamin B2 425jig 85 jig Vitamin B I 375 jig 75 jig Vitamin B6 550jig il0jig Example 8 This example provides a complete product and nutritionally balanced with a high protein content (9lKcaI/g nitrogen), enriched with nucleosides and/or nucleotides in agreement with the invention.

The composition and content of nutrients have been adapted to meet the specific nutritional requirements of adults in hypercatabolic state.

Table 11 1O0g of powder For lO0ml, of liquid Ingredients: Water 77.28% Vegetable oils mixture 9.13% 1.99% Maltodextrins 5 0.6% 11.49% [1:\DAYL[B\LIBC]00752.doc:MCN Lactalbumin 15.96% 3.64% Calcium caseinate 13.08% 3.14% Butterfat 6.52% 1.49% Mineral salts 3.4 1% 0.68% Emulsifier 0.11% Stabiliser 0.02% Soy lecithin 0.5% Vitamins 0.026% 0.005% Nucleosides and/or nucleotides 0.75% 0.15% Ascorbile palmitate 0.0232% 0.0008% DL-ctTocopherol 0.0008% 0.0002% Nucleosides and/or nucleotides Uridine and/or uridine monophosphate 150mg Guanosine and/or guanosine monophosphate 150mg Adenosine and/or adenosine monophosphate 150mg Cytidine and/or cytidine monophosphate 150mg Inosine and/or inosine monophosphate 150mg Mineral salts Sodium phosphate dibasic 0.88g 180mg Ferrous lactate 21mg 4mg Dibasic potassium phosphate 0. 19g Zinc acetate 14mgz 3mg Cupric sulfate 3mg 640p- Manganese sulfate 4mg 760ptg Potassium iodide 49%ig jg Calcium chloride 0.llg Magnesium sulfate 1.014g 203mg Potassium chloride 1.Olg 220mg Sodium fluoride 2.2mg 442 pig Potassium and chromium sulfate 480pgg 96[tg Sodium molybdate 315 ig 63ktg Sodium selenite 166pgg 33 t Sodium chloride 0.16g [1:\DAYLIBULBC]00752.dc:MCN iVitamins added: I As in Ex ample 7. -F1 Example 9 This example provides a complete product and nutritionally balanced, with a high nitrogen content, using as source of this element a protein hydrolysate with a low molecular weight to make easier its absorption, enriched with nucleosides and/or nucleotides according to the invention. The energy ratio of this product is IlO0Kcal/g nitrogen.

The composition and content of nutrients have been adapted to satisfy the specific nutritional requirements of adults suffering diverse malabsorption-malnutrition syndromes.

Table 12 1 00g of powder For I OOmL of liquid Ingredients: Water 77.83% Vegetable oils mixture 12.44% 2.76% Maltodextrins 51.62% 11.43% Casein hydrolysate 25.80% 5.72% Butterfat 3.62% 0.8% Mineral salts 5.02% 1.11% Emulsifier 0.11% Stabiliser 0.02% Soy lecithin 0.5 0% Vitamins 0.026% 01.0058% Nucleosides and/or nucleotides 0.75% 0.17% L-cystine 0.20% 0.04% Ascorbile palmnitate 0.0232% 0.0051% DL-ccTocopherol 0.0008% 0.0002% Nucleosides and/or nucleotides added: Uridine and/or uridine monophosphate 15 0mg Guanosine and/or guanosine monophosphate 15 0mg Adenosine and/or adenosine monophosphate 15 0mg Cytidine and/or cytidine monophosphate 150mg Inosine and/or inosine monophosphate 150mg Mg Mineral salts Sodium phosphate dibasic 1.05g 233mg [i:\DAYIB\LIBCj00752.dm:MCN 9 .9 9.

Ferrous lactate 21mg 4.6mg Dibasic potassium phosphate 0.80g .177mg Zinc acetate 14mg 3.1mg Cupric sulfate 3mg 665p Manganese sulfate 4mg 888 Potassium iodide 49ujg 11 jig Calcium chloride 0.84g 186mg Magnesium sulfate 1.0 14g 225mg Sodium fluoride 2.2mg 488pjg Potassium and chromium sulfate 480 jig 106p Sodium molybdate 315jig 70 jig Sodium selenite 166pjg 37 jig Sodium chloride 0.44g 97mg Tripotassium citrate 0.83g 1 84mg Vitamins added: As in Example 7 Other substances L-cystine 200mg4m Example This example provides a complete product and nutritionally balanced with a low protein content, supplemented with branched chain amino acids and enriched with nucleosides and/or nucleotides, according to the invention.

The composition and content of nutrients have been adapted to satisfy the specific nutritional requirements of adults suffering severe hepatopathy.

Table 13 Forl1 0g of powder For 1 OOmL of liquid Ingredients: Water 76.36% Vegetable oils mixture 7.48% 1.77% Maltodextrins 72.13% 17.04% Lactalbumnin 7.26% 1.72% Calcium caseinate 6.27% 1.48% Mineral salts 2.94% 0.69% Em uIs ifie r [I:\DAYLIB\LIBC]G0752dOC:MCN Stabiliser 0.01% Soy lecithin 0.22% Vitamins 0.026% 0.006% Nucleosides and/or nucleotides 0.75% 0.18% L-leucine 1.16% 0.27% L-valine 0.87% 0.21% L-isoleucine 0.87% 0.21% Ascorbile palmitate 0.0197% 0.005% DL-(ocopherol 0.00034 0.00007% Nucleosides and/or nucleotides added: Uridine and/or uridine monophosphate 150mg Guanosine and/or guanosine monophosphate 150mg Adenosine and/or adenosine monophosphate 150mg Cytidine and/or cytidine monophosphate 150mg Inosine and/or inosine monophosphate 150mg Mineral salts Sodium phosphate dibasic 0.60g 142mg Ferrous lactateV 21mg Dibasic potassium phosphate 0.67g 158mg Zinc acetate 14mg 3.3mg Cupric sulfate 3mg 709[t Manganese sulfate 4mg 946 jig Potassium iodide 49gjg 11 .6jig Calcium chloride 0.49g 116mg Magnesium sulfate 1.0 14g 240mg Sodium fluoride 2.2mg 520pjg Potassium and chromium sulfate 480gjg 1 l3jig Sodium molybdate 315jig 74jgg Sodium selenite 166gjg 39jgg Sodium chloride 0. 12g 28mg Vitamins added: As in Example 7. Othier substances added: L-leucine 1. 16g 2 74mg 4e [I:\DAYLIB\LIBC]00752.doc:MCN 9@ *9 L-valine 870mg 206mg L-isoleucine 870mga 206mg Example 11 This example provides a product considered as a nutritional supplement for the nutritional repletion of adults with chronic hepatopathy, constituted by a mixture of proteins from milk origin, supplemented with branched chain amino acids, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals and enriched with nucleosides and/or nucleotides.

Table 14 1 O0g powder For 1 0ml, iquid Ingredients: Water 80.00% Maltodextrins 36.72% 7.32% Lactalbumin 26.26% 5.25% Sodium caseinate 21 .95% 4.39% Mineral salts 3.2% 0.64% Vitamins 0.026% 0.005% Nucleosides and/or nucleotides 0.75% 0.15% L-leucine 4.04% 0.8 1% L-valine 3.03% 0.61% L-isoleucine 3.03% 0.61% Nucleosides and/or Nucleotides added: Uridine and/or uridine monophosphate 150mg Guanosine and/or guanosine monophosphate 150mg Adenosine and/or adenosine monophosphate 150mg Cytidine and/or cytidine monophosphate 150mg Inosine and/or mnosmne monophosphate 150mg Mineral salts added: Sodium phosphate dibasic 0.36g 72mg Ferrous lactate 21mg 4.2mg Dibasic potassium phosphate 0.1 7g 34mg Zinc acetate 14mg 2.8mg Cupric sulfate 3mg 600 jig Manganese sulfate 14mg 800[t [1:\DAYLIB\LIBC]00752.doc:MCN Potassium iodide 49 jig 9.8 jig Calcium chloride 0.38g 76 jig Magnesium sulfate 1.014R 203mg Sodium fluoride 2.2mg 440 jig Potassium and chromium sulfate 480Ltig 96jgg Sodium molybdate 315jig 63 jig Sodium selenite 166gjg 33 jig Potassium chloride 0.89g 178mg Tripotassium citrate 0.34g 68mg Vitamins added: As in Example 7.

Other substances added: L-leucine 4.04g 8 L-valine 3.03g 610mg L-isoleucine 3.03g 610mg The invention having been thus described, it will be appreciated by those in the art that variations can occur within the scope of claims which follow.

S

[I:\DAYLIB\LIBCj00752.dOC:MCN

Claims (26)

1. A nutritionally balanced nourishing product, specially suitable for the preparation of infant formulas and dietetic products for adults, which contains a source of amino nitrogen, carbohydrates, edible fats, minerals and vitamins, characterised by as added substance, adenosine and at least another nucleotide selected from the group consisting of uridine, guanosine, cytidine and inosine.

2. A product according to claim 1, in powder form, characterised by containing for each 100 g: uridine 1-300mg; guanosine 1-300mg; adenosine 1-300mg; cytidine 1-300mg, and inosine 1-300mg. 10 3. A product according to claim 2, characterised by containing: uridine 50-250mg; guanosine 50-250mg; adenosine 50-250mg; cytidine 50-250mg, and inosine 50-250mg.

4. A product according to claim 1, in liquid form, characterised by containing per *i decilitre: uridine 0.2-60mg; guanosine 0.2-60mg; adenosine 0.2-60mg; cytidine 0.2-60mg, and inosine 0.2-60mg.

5. A product according to claim 4, characterised by containing: uridine 10-50mg; guanosine 10-50mg; adenosine 10-50mg; cytidine 10-50mg, and inosine 10-50mg.

6. A nutritionally balanced nourishing product in powder form, specially suitable for the preparation of infant formulas and dietetic products for adults, which contains a source of amino nitrogen, carbohydrates, edible fats, minerals and vitamins, characterised by further comprising, as added substance, adenosine, adenosine phosphate or mixtures thereof, '**and at least the mixture of one of the following nucleosides and corresponding nucleotides: "uridine and uridine phosphate; guanosine and guanosine phosphate; cytidine and cytidine phosphate, or inosine and inosine phosphate, wherein the total combined nucleoside and nucleotide content is in the range of 50 to 1250mg for each 100g of product.

7. A nutritionally balanced nourishing product in liquid form, specially suitable for the preparation of infant formulas and dietetic products for adults, which contains a source of amino nitrogen, carbohydrates, edible fats, minerals and vitamins, characterised by further comprising, as added substance, adenosine, adenosine phosphate or mixtures thereof, at least the mixture of one of the following nucleosides and corresponding nucleotides: uridine and uridine phosphate; guanosine and guanosine phosphate; cytidine and cytidine phosphate, or inosine and inosine phosphate, wherein the total combined nucleoside and nucleotide content is in the range of 10 to 250mg for each decilitre of product.

8. A cow's milk free infant formula comprising carbohydrates, a source of amino acids, vegetable oils, minerals and vitamins, characterised by further comprising, as added substance, adenosine, adenosine phosphate or mixtures thereof, at least one of the following [I:\DAYLIBULBC]O752 dOC:MCN substances: uridine, uridine phosphate or mixtures thereof; guanosine, guanosine phosphate or mixtures thereof; cytidine, cytidine phosphate or mixtures thereof, or inosine, inosine phosphate or mixtures thereof.

9. A formula according to claim 8, characterised by comprising on a dry basis per 100g: up to 17.40mg of uridine, uridine phosphate or mixtures thereof; up to 03.32mg of guanosine, guanosine phosphate or mixtures thereof; up to 03.75mg of adenosine, adenosine phosphate or mixtures thereof; up to 04.58mg of cytidine, cytidine phosphate or mixtures thereof, and up to 01.92mg of inosine, inosine phosphate or mixtures thereof. A formula according to claim 8, characterised by its powdered form. 10 11. A formula according to claim 9, characterised by containing per 100 g of total weight: uridine and/or uridine phosphate 17.40-1.86mg; guanosine and/or guanosine phosphate 3.32-0.27mg; adenosine and/or adenosine phosphate 9.50-4.25mg; cytidine and/or cytidine phosphate 10.16-3.52mg, and inosine and/or inosine phosphate 1.92- 0.00mg.

12. A formula according to claim 8, characterised by its liquid form. o 13. A formula according to claim 12, characterised by containing per decilitre of liquid product: uridine and/or uridine phosphate 2.62-0.28mg; guanosine and/or guanosine phosphate 0.50-0.04mg; adenosine and/or adenosine phosphate 1.43-0.64mg; cytidine and/or cytidine phosphate 1.53-0.53mg, and inosine and/or inosine phosphate 0.29- 0.00mg.

14. A formula according to claim 9, characterised by containing L-cystine. A formula according to claim 11, characterised by containing L-cystine. A formula according to claim 1, characterised by containing L-cystine.

16. A formula according to claim 9, characterised by containing carnitine.

17. A formula according to claim 11, characterised by containing carnitine.

18. An infant milk formula containing cow's milk, sugars, vegetable oils, minerals and vitamins, characterised by further comprising as added substance, adenosine and at least another nucleoside selected from the group consisting of uridine, guanosine, cytidine and inosine.

19. An infant formula, according to claim 18, characterized by also containing at least one nucleotide selected from the group consisting of uridine phosphate, guanosine phosphate, adenosine phosphate, cytidine phosphate and inosine phosphate. An infant formula, according to claim 18, characterized by comprising: uridine, uridine phosphate or a mixture thereof; guanosine, guanosine phosphate or a mixture thereof; adenosine, adenosine phosphate or a mixture thereof; [i:\DAYLI\LIBC]00752.dOC:MCN 36 cytidine, cytidine phosphate or mixture thereof, and inosine, inosine phosphate or a mixture thereof.

21. A formula according to claim 18, characterised by containing for each 100g of powder product: uridine and uridine phosphate 17.40-1.86mg; guanosine and guanosine phosphate 3.32-0.27mg; adenosine and adenosine phosphate 3.75-0.00mg; cytidine and cytidine phosphate 4.58-0.00mg, and inosine and inosine phosphate 1.92-0.00mg.

22. A formula according to claim 18, characterised by containing per decilitre of liquid product: uridine and uridine phosphate 2.62-0.28mg; guanosine and guanosine phosphate 0.50-0.04mg; adenosine and adenosine phosphate 0.56-0.00mg; cytidine and 10 cytidine phosphate 0.69-0.00mg, and inosine and inosine phosphate 0.29-0.00mg.

23. Process for the preparation in liquid form and aseptic packaging of nourishing products enriched with nucleosides and/or nucleotides, having a composition according to any one of claims 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20 and 22, characterized by comprising the steps of: Mixing water and non-fat solids, in the absence of any vitamins, nucleosides and nucleotides; Preheating the mixture to a temperature ranging from about 75 to about Deaerating of the said mixture; Injection of a mixture of edible fats in the deaerated mixture; Homogenizing the mixture under pressure; Cooling of the mixture in the range of 4-6°C; Standarsizing the mixture by addition of those nucleosides, nucleotides, vitamins, minerals and other components not added in first step, adjusting the pH in the range of about 6.8 to 7.1; UHT sterilizing of the standardized mixture; Homogenizing of the mixture under pressure followed by cooling, and Aseptic packaging of the obtained product.

24. Process for the preparation in liquid form and bottling of nourishing products enriched with nucleosides and/or nucleotides, having a composition according to claims 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20 and 22, characterized by comprising the steps of: Mixing water and non-fat solids, in the absence of any vitamins, nucleosides and nucleotides; Preheating the mixture to a temperature ranging from about 75 to about Deaerating of the said mixture; Injection of a mixture of edible fats in the deaerated mixture; [I:\DAYL1B\L1C00752.dOCMCN 37 Homogenizing the mixture under pressure; Cooling of the mixture in the range of 4-6 0 C; Adjusting pH in the range of about 6.8 to about 7.1; UHT sterilizing of the adjusted mixture; S- Standardizing of the sterilized mixture by addition of those nucleosides, nucleotides, vitamins, minerals and other components not added in first step; Reheating of the standardized mixture, and Sterilizing the final bottled product. Process for the preparation in powder form of nourishing products enriched with 10 nucleosides and/or nuclotides, having a composition according to claims 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21, characterized by comprising the steps of: Mixing water with non-fat solids, in the absence of the vitamins, nucleosides and nucleotides; Preheating the mixture to a temperature ranging from about 75 to about 15 Deareating of the said mixture; Injection of a mixture of edible fats in the deareated mixture; Homogenizing the mixture under pressure; Cooling of the mixture in the range of about 4-6 0 C; Standardizing of the cooled mixture by addition of those nucleosides, nucleotides, vitamins, minerals and other components not added in first step, adjusting the pH in the range of about 6.8 to about 7.1; S- Reheating of the standarized mixture to between about 65 to about Homogenizing of the reheated mixture under pressure; Drying in spray drier, and Packaging of the obtained product.

26. A nutritionally balanced nourishing product specially suitable for the preparation of infant formulas and dietetic products for adults, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of examples 1 to

27. A cow's milk free infant formula comprising carbohydrates, a source of amino acids, vegetable oils, minerals and vitamins substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to example 5 or 6.

28. An infant milk formula containing cow's milk, sugars, vegetable oils, minerals and vitamins substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of examples 1 to 3. [I:\DALIB\L1BC00752.doc:MCN 38

29. A method of enhancing immune response in an infant requiring such enhancement, comprising administering to said infant an effective amount of a formula as defined in claim 27 or 28. A method of alleviating or treating protein energy malnutrition in a patient requiring such alleviation or treatment, comprising administering to said patient an effective amount of a nutritionally balanced nourishing product as defined in claim 23.

31. A method for the stimulation or repair and regeneration of intestinal cells in infants and adults, said method comprising the enteral administration of a nourishing product characterised by comprising at least one of the following nucleosides, nucleotides or 10 mixtures thereof: uridine, uridine phosphate, guanosine, guanosine phosphate, adenosine, adenosine phosphate, cytidine, cytidine phosphate, inosine and inosine phosphate.

32. A method for enhancing the immune response of T-cells and for providing specific fatty acid phospholipid profiles in red blood cell membranes in infants and adults, o said method comprising enterally administering to said infants and adults, a nourishing product containing at least one of the following nucleosides, nucleotides or mixtures thereof: uridine, uridine phosphate, guanosine, guanosine phosphate, adenosine, adenosine phosphate, cytidine, cytidine phosphate, inosine and inosine phosphate.

33. A nutritionally balanced nourishing product in powder form prepared by a process, comprising the steps of: mixing water with the non-fat solids, in the absence of vitamins, nucleosides or nucleotides; preheating the mixture to a temperature ranging from 75 to 80 0 C; deaerating said mixture; injecting a mixture of edible fats in the S" deaerated mixture; homogenising the mixture under pressure; cooling mixture in the range of 4-6 0 C; standardising of the cooled mixture by addition of those nucleosides, nucleotides, vitamins, minerals and other components not added in first step, adjusting the pH in the range of 6.8 to 7.1; reheating of the standardised mixture to 65 to 70 0 C; homogenising of the reheated mixture under pressure; drying in a spray drier, and packaging of the obtained product.

34. A nutritionally balanced nourishing product in liquid form prepared by a process, comprising the steps of: mixing water and non-fat solids, in the absence of any vitamins, nucleosides or nucleotides; preheating the mixture to a temperature ranging from 75 to 80 0 C; deaerating said mixture; injecting a mixture of edible fats in the deaerated mixture; homogenising the mixture under pressure; cooling mixture in the range of 4-6 0 C; standardising the mixture by addition of those nucleosides, nucleotides, vitamins, minerals and other components not added in first step, adjusting the pH in the [I:\DAYLB\LIBC]00752.doc:MCN 39 range of 6.8 to 7.1; UHT sterilising standardised mixture; homogenising of the mixture under pressure followed by cooling, and aseptic packaging of the obtained product. A nutritionally balanced nourishing product in liquid form prepared by a process, comprising the steps of: mixing water and non-fat solids, in the absence of vitamins, nucleosides and nucleotides; preheating the mixture to a temperature ranging from 75 to 80 0 C; deaerating said mixture; injecting a mixture of edible fats in the deaerated mixture; homogenising the mixture under pressure; cooling mixture in the range of 4-6 0 C; adjusting pH in the range of 6.8 to 7.1; UHT sterilising the pH-adjusted mixture; standardising sterilised mixture by addition of those nuclesides, nucleotides, 10 vitamins, minerals and other components not added in first step; reheating standardised mixture to 30-70°C; bottling of the reheated mixture, and sterilising the final bottled product. o Dated 24 March, 2000 Abbott Laboratories Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON FERGUSON so S* O [I:\DAYLIB\LIBC]00752.doc:MCN