About the Infant Nutrition Science Coalition (INSC)
Learn more about our mission, partners, and the tripartite model that supports our work in advancing infant nutrition science.
View the Coalition’s Rules (PDF)About the INSC
Human milk is the gold standard of infant nutrition, offering undeniable benefits for both mother and baby. While it cannot be fully replicated, infant formula plays a vital role in supporting the health of babies who are not exclusively breastfed. Whether a parent or caregiver chooses to breastfeed, formula feed, or use a combination of both, they should be supported in knowing that they are making the best choice for their baby and family. For those who cannot or choose not to breastfeed due to medical or physical barriers, commercially produced, iron-fortified infant formula is the only safe, nutritious, and recommended alternative to human milk. But despite significant advances, gaps in health outcomes remain between exclusively breastfed and exclusively formula-fed infants, underscoring the need to continue improving all infant feeding options.
The Infant Nutrition Science Coalition (INSC) brings together scientific experts from academia, government, and industry to advance research on human milk and infant nutrition. The INSC aims to improve our understanding of human milk’s composition and functional effects, and to explore how differences between human milk and infant formula may impact infant development. By fostering collaboration across sectors, the coalition supports a stronger scientific foundation to inform public health and research efforts.
As part of this work, the INSC is focused on improving research methods and identifying meaningful markers of infant health and development. A key priority is identifying comprehensive measures of normal infant development, including cognitive and immune system outcomes, that go beyond traditional growth metrics.
This initiative is coordinated by ILSI U.S. and Canada, in partnership with Oregon State University.