Baby formula encyclopedia
Every word on a formula can, explained in plain English: stages, proteins, fats, gut support, special formulas and safety terms.
Plain-English definitions, checked against EU formula law and current pediatric guidance.
Formula terms from A to Z
A
- A2 milk
-
Milk from cows bred to produce only the A2 type of beta-casein protein, not A1. Some parents find it easier on the tummy; it is still cow's milk protein and not suitable for a milk allergy.
- Algae oil
-
A plant source of DHA, used instead of or alongside fish oil.
- Alpha-lactalbumin
-
The main whey protein in breast milk. Some formulas add it to bring their protein profile closer to breast milk.
- Amino acid formula (AAF)
-
A formula made from single amino acids instead of milk protein, for babies with severe cow's milk protein allergy. Used under medical supervision.
- Anti-reflux formula (AR)
-
Formula thickened with locust bean gum or starch so milk is less likely to come back up. In the EU it is a food for special medical purposes: use it with your pediatrician's advice.
B
- Beta-palmitate (OPO)
-
Palmitic acid in the same position on the fat molecule as in breast milk, which is easier to absorb than ordinary palm oil.
C
- Cereulide
-
A heat-stable toxin made by Bacillus cereus bacteria. It caused most of the European formula recalls in early 2026.
- Choline
-
A nutrient for brain and liver development, required in EU infant formula.
- Coconut oil
-
Supplies medium-chain fats that are quick to digest. Often used by palm-oil-free formulas.
- Combiotic
-
HiPP's name for formulas that combine a prebiotic fibre (GOS) with a live probiotic culture (L. fermentum), the reason HiPP asks for cooler preparation water.
- Comfort formula
-
Formula with partly broken-down (hydrolysed) protein, and often less lactose, for babies with colic or constipation. A food for special medical purposes in the EU; ask your pediatrician first.
- Cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA)
-
An immune reaction to the proteins in cow's milk. Babies with CMPA usually need an extensively hydrolysed formula, or an amino acid formula for severe cases. Goat milk and HA formulas are not suitable.
- Cronobacter
-
A bacterium that can survive in powdered formula and cause rare but serious infections in young babies, one reason to prepare each bottle fresh.
D
- Demeter
-
A certification for biodynamic farming, stricter than standard organic rules. Holle makes many of its formulas with Demeter milk.
- DHA
-
An omega-3 fat for brain and eye development. Since February 2020, EU law requires 20 to 50 mg of DHA per 100 kcal in every infant and follow-on formula.
- Dutch, German and UK versions
-
The same brand often makes different recipes for different countries. HiPP's German Stage 1, for example, contains starch while its Dutch Stage 1 does not. Our comparison chart shows each version.
E
- Extensively hydrolysed formula (eHF)
-
Formula whose milk protein is broken down so far that most babies with cow's milk protein allergy tolerate it. The usual first choice for CMPA, chosen with your doctor.
F
- Fish oil
-
A source of DHA, the omega-3 fat that EU law requires in every infant formula. Listed as an allergen on the label.
- Folic acid
-
The standard form of folate (vitamin B9) for cell growth.
- Follow-on formula
-
Formula for babies from 6 months who also eat solid food, usually labeled Stage 2. It typically carries more iron than first infant formula.
- Food for special medical purposes
-
An EU category for formulas made for a medical need, such as reflux, colic or allergy. They should be used under medical supervision.
- Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS)
-
A plant-based prebiotic fibre, often paired with GOS.
G
- Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS)
-
A prebiotic fibre made from lactose. It feeds the friendly gut bacteria and keeps stools softer.
- Glucose syrup
-
A sugar made from starch, found mainly in special-purpose formulas.
- Goat milk
-
Goat milk protein instead of cow milk protein. Some babies find it gentler, but it is not suitable for cow's milk protein allergy because the proteins are too similar.
- Growing-up milk
-
Milk drinks for toddlers from 10 to 12 months on, sold as Stage 3, Stage 4 or Kindermilch. They are optional: most toddlers can drink whole cow's milk after 12 months. Ask your pediatrician.
H
- HA formula
-
Hypoallergenic formula with partly hydrolysed protein. Current US guidance (AAP 2019) finds no evidence that it prevents allergies, and it is not a treatment for cow's milk protein allergy.
- Human milk oligosaccharides (HMO)
-
Lab-made versions of sugars found in breast milk, such as 2'-FL. They act as prebiotics for the gut.
- Hydrolysed protein
-
Milk protein broken into smaller pieces. Partly hydrolysed formulas (HA, Comfort) can be easier to digest, but they are not a treatment for cow's milk protein allergy.
I
- Infant formula
-
Formula that covers all of a baby's nutrition from birth until solids start. In the EU its makeup is fixed by law, including energy of 60 to 70 kcal per 100 ml.
- Inositol
-
A vitamin-like nutrient found in breast milk, involved in cell signalling.
K
- Kindermilch
-
German for "children's milk": HiPP's growing-up milk for toddlers from 1 or 2 years.
L
- L-carnitine
-
Helps the body turn fat into energy. Added to formulas whose protein source contains little of it.
- Lactose
-
Milk sugar, and the only carbohydrate in breast milk. EU rules make it the main carbohydrate in most infant formula.
- Lecithin
-
An emulsifier, usually from sunflower or soy, that keeps fat and water mixed.
- Level scoop
-
A scoop of powder leveled off with a knife or the can's leveler, without pressing it down. Packed or heaped scoops make a bottle too concentrated.
- Locust bean gum (carob)
-
A natural thickener used in anti-reflux formulas to help milk stay down.
- Lutein
-
A carotenoid found in breast milk and in the eye. Added by a few premium formulas.
M
- Maltodextrin
-
A carbohydrate made from starch. Easy to digest and less sweet than other sugars; used in some follow-on and comfort formulas.
- Methylfolate (Metafolin)
-
An active form of folate the body can use directly, used by HiPP in place of folic acid.
- Mono- and diglycerides
-
An emulsifier that keeps the formula smooth when mixed.
- Mortierella alpina oil (ARA)
-
An oil from a fungus that supplies ARA, an omega-6 fat found in breast milk.
N
- Nucleotides
-
Building blocks of DNA and RNA, naturally present in breast milk. Some formulas add them for immune and gut development.
O
- Organic (EU)
-
Formula carrying the EU organic logo: at least 95% of its farm ingredients come from certified organic farming, without synthetic pesticides or GMOs.
P
- Palm oil
-
A vegetable fat whose palmitic acid mirrors a major fat in breast milk. Some parents avoid it because it can make stools firmer and reduce calcium absorption a little.
- Prebiotic
-
A fibre that feeds the friendly bacteria already in your baby's gut, such as GOS, FOS or HMOs.
- Probiotic cultures
-
Live bacteria such as L. fermentum (HiPP) or L. reuteri. Formulas with live cultures usually ask for cooler preparation water so the cultures survive.
- Probiotic
-
Live bacteria added to a formula. Formulas with live cultures need cooler water so the cultures survive; check the instructions for your formula.
R
- Rapeseed oil
-
A vegetable oil rich in omega-3 (ALA) and omega-6 fatty acids.
- Ready to feed
-
Liquid formula, already mixed and sterile until opened. Shake, pour and use within the time on the pack once opened.
- Recall
-
The removal of specific batches from sale because of a safety problem. A recall covers the batches named in the notice, not every product of a brand.
S
- Skimmed milk
-
Milk with the cream taken off. The main protein source in most formulas, with vegetable oils added back for fat.
- Soy
-
Usually soy lecithin (an emulsifier) or soybean oil. Listed because soy is a major allergen.
- Stage 1
-
First infant formula from birth. Some German Stage 1 formulas add a little starch, which makes them slightly more filling.
- Stage 2
-
See Follow-on formula: from about 6 months, alongside solid food.
- Stage PRE
-
A first infant formula from birth, usually with lactose as the only carbohydrate, the closest to breast milk in a brand's range.
- Starch
-
Makes the bottle a little thicker and more filling. Common in follow-on formulas and in anti-reflux formulas.
- Sunflower oil
-
A vegetable oil that supplies linoleic acid (omega-6) and oleic acid.
T
- Taurine
-
An amino acid found in breast milk. Optional in EU formula; some brands add it.
W
- Whey to casein ratio
-
The balance of the two main milk proteins. Breast milk is whey-dominant, so many formulas add whey to bring cow's milk, which is casein-dominant, closer to it.
- Whey
-
The liquid protein part of milk. Added so the balance of whey to casein sits closer to breast milk, which is whey-rich.
- Whole milk and milk fat
-
Milk that keeps its natural fat instead of replacing it all with vegetable oils. Milk fat carries fatty acids and membrane lipids that vegetable oils do not.
Try a shorter word, or ask our team at support@organicsbestshop.com and we'll add it.
Guides that go deeper
Written and reviewed by the doctors on our nutrition team.
-
Formula Instructions in English
Step-by-step preparation for every formula we stock, with water temperatures and scoop ratios.Open the guide
-
Baby Feeding Chart: Recommendations for the First Year of Life
How much and how often, month by month, in one chart.
-
Organic's Best Formula Finder Quiz
Answer a few questions and get a formula matched to your baby.
-
How Much Formula for a Newborn? Chart Included
Newborn amounts by weight and age, from day one.
-
European Baby Formula Stages: What New Parents Need to Know
Pre, 1, 2, 3: what each stage means and when to move on.
-
Switching Baby Formula: Guidelines on How Not to Harm Your Infant
How to switch formulas gently, and the signs it’s working.
-
Preparation 101: What Water to Use for Formula
Tap, filtered, distilled or bottled: what’s safe to mix with.
-
Sterilizing Baby Bottles: What You Need to Know About Safety and Hygiene
When to sterilize, how long it lasts and the easiest methods.
-
Common Measuring Mistakes When Preparing Baby Formula
The scooping and mixing slips that change how concentrated a bottle is.
More formula tools
- Formula comparison chart Every formula we stock, side by side.
- Ingredient finder Find formulas with, or without, any ingredient.
- Preparation instructions English steps and feeding tables for each can.
- Recall tracker Official recalls from the FDA, UK and EU.
- Allergen introduction planner When and how to introduce the top 9 allergens.
