Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs)

Whether you're launching new products or switching suppliers, Inbiose delivers high-purity HMOs with unmatched cost-effiency, flexible minimal order quantity (MOQ), and industry-leading innovation.

Get technical data, pricing & regulatory info fast or book a call with our HMO experts.

What are HMOs and Why they matter


Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs) are complex, non-digestible carbohydrates found naturally in breast milk. After lactose and lipids, they are the third most abundant solid component, with over 200 unique structures identified to date.

HMOs are designed by nature to directly and indirectly support gut health, immune function, metabolic and microbial balance, while barely being digested by the human body.

Science-backed HMOs for immune, gut & metabolic health

Our Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs) mimic the complex sugars in human breastmilk — shown to support immunity, gut microbiota, and metabolic health in infants, adults and animals.

HMO Applications

Early life nutrition
Dietary supplements & Medical nutrition
Pet nutrition & Animal feed
Functional food & beverages

Why Inbiose

Cost-efficient and flexible MOQ
Large-scale production
Global regulatory compliance
Leading HMO innovator, active since 2013

Science-backed HMOs for immune, gut & metabolic health

Our Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs) mimic the complex sugars in human breastmilk — shown to support immunity, gut microbiota, and metabolic health in infants, adults and animals.

Science-backed HMOs for immune, gut & metabolic health

Our Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs) mimic the complex sugars in human breastmilk — shown to support immunity, gut microbiota, and metabolic health in infants, adults and animals.

Science-backed HMOs for immune, gut & metabolic health

Our Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs) mimic the complex sugars in human breastmilk — shown to support immunity, gut microbiota, and metabolic health in infants, adults and animals.

Science-backed HMOs for immune, gut & metabolic health

Our Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs) mimic the complex sugars in human breastmilk — shown to support immunity, gut microbiota, and metabolic health in infants, adults and animals.

Inbiose team

Why Inbiose?

Cost-efficient and flexible Minimal Order Quantities
Large-scale production
Global regulatory compliance
Leading HMO innovator, active since 2013

Science-backed HMOs for immune, gut & metabolic health

Our Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs) mimic the complex sugars in human breastmilk — shown to support immunity, gut microbiota, and metabolic health in infants, adults and animals.

Why procurement chooses Inbiose

Your competitive edge in cost, speed and product innovation.
Built for fast-growing brands, trusted by multinationals.

Inbiose

Competitors

Competitive pricing

Premium pricing

Flexible MOQs

Rigid volume minimums

Partner-ready R&D platform

Closed innovation model

Supporting application innovation

Fixed application domains

HMOs are fundamental for lifelong health.

HMOs are complex carbohydrates found in breast milk, evolved not to nourish, but to shape health in more profound ways.

1

Microbiome

HMOs fuel beneficial bacteria while crowding out unwanted microbes. Certain HMOs are known to support keys strains of Bifidobacteria, Akkermansia and other beneficial species.

2

Immune Support

HMOs guide the immune system with precision. By influencing immune signaling, they promote balance: enhancing defense without overreaction.

3

Gut Health

HMOs help reinforce the gut barrier, supporting digestive integrity and resilience, building a solid foundation for health across life stages.

4

Other benefits

HMOs support infant cognitive development, metabolic wellness, joint mobility, infection resilience, and even stress tolerance.

Frequently asked questions

What are human milk oligosaccharides?

Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs) are complex carbohydrates naturally found in breast milk. HMOs are the third most abudant solid ingredient in breast milk, following lactose and lipids. Barely absorbed, and not digested by the infant, HMOs reach the colon intact. They nourish beneficial gut bacteria, block harmful microbes, and support the developing immune system. Research shows that HMOs also contribute to gut barrier function and early cognitive development, making them essential to infant health.

Can I include HMOs in my functional food or supplement product?

Absolutely. HMOs are highly versatile and can be used in sport drinks, yoghurts, infant formula, gummies, sachets, bars, capsules, and more. They offer a mild sweet taste and high heat stability, making them ideal for product innovation. Regulatory status and labeling requirements vary by region, so it is advised to consult our experts for tailored guidance.

Are HMOs safe for adults or animals, or just for infants?

Yes, HMOs are increasingly researched and formulated for adults, pets, livestock, and broader populations. While inspired by breast milk, specific HMOs can support gut health, immune regulation, and metabolic balance across age groups. Clinical and internal studies confirm their excellent safety profile, consistent with the fact that newborns naturally consume large quantities of HMOs.

How are HMOs made without using human milk?

HMOs are produced without using breast milk. Scientists design safe bacteria, similar to those used for making vitamins or enzymes, to ferment and create HMOs. Once fermentation is complete, the mixture is purified to remove the bacteria, yielding a clean, high-purity HMO that’s chemically identical to those found in breast milk. The result is safe, scalable, and ready for food and health applications.

Mothers deliver different HMOs

While pregnant, women already start producing HMOs as early as the first trimester. There is great variability in quantity of individual HMOs that is produced in different women, and throughout the lactation period. One of the major differences is determined by genetics in the FUT2 gene: secretor vs non-secretor of 2'-FL.

Secretors

Graph adapted from
Liu et al., 2023

Non-secretors

Graph adapted from
Liu et al., 2023

Variation over 24 months of lactation

Graph representing a non-secretor group (12%) from a US cohort, adapted from Plows et al., 2021

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