Three Chinese Key Opinion Leaders Invited to Broadcast a Journey of "Nourishing the Brain First" at Mead Johnson's Global R&D Center

EVANSVILLE, Ind., Nov. 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On the morning of October 16^th in Evansville, Indiana, the Mead Johnson Nutrition campus -- now run by consumer health, hygiene and home giant RB -- was visited by three special guests: Xiaoxiaobao Mama, Zaozao Wang, and Janice. Together, these women are famous key opinion leaders in the mom & baby industry in China.

The international guests were invited to one of Mead Johnson's largest R&D centers in the world. For the benefit of interested mothers, their journey was broadcast in real-time on four livestream platforms China including Tmall, Taobao, Suning and Yi Zhi Bo. This marked the first time a US infant-formula brand ever held a livestream dedicated to educating mothers in China about cutting-edge pediatric nutritional science.

The History Wall: A century-old brand boasts a moving story of origin

The visit started at the Mead Johnson History Wall, which details a story dating back over 100 years, when scientific and medical technology lagged far behind where it is today. The first child of E. Mead Johnson, founder of Mead Johnson Nutrition, was born with a congenital heart defect, which affected his feeding and nutrition. The family worked with pediatrician Dr. Abraham Jacobi (recognized today as the father of American pediatrics) who provided them a feeding mixture which saved the baby's life.

Years later, E. Mead Johnson was inspired by his son's experience and hoped to help children all over the world achieve a better life. His focus in infant nutrition research to help more babies in need of care has led to the Mead Johnson Nutrition operation of today.

The MJPNI (Mead Johnson Pediatric Nutrition Institute) : Mead Johnson's century-long dedication to providing babies better nutrition through human milk research

After learning about the company's origin, the three Chinese influencers found another profound experience at the MJPNI Evansville Technology Center, which is one of several R&D centers that focuses on cutting-edge science. As a global leader in pediatric nutrition research and development, Mead Johnson has applied this cutting-edge pediatric nutrition research to product development since its inception.

In the Evansville R&D center, the scientists shared the story of how MJN studied the levels of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA in global human milk, and then undertook pioneering clinical studies that showed that breastmilk DHA levels impact babies' brain development and visual acuity. The MJPNI engineers were then able to put this DHA innovation into practice by demonstrating how DHA can be added into infant nutritional products through a trial run in the technology center. The DHA breakthrough from Mead Johnson has since dramatically changed the industry.

Mead Johnson has continued to innovate, as evidenced by the monumental introduction of the Milk Fat Globule Membrane (MFGM). Studies found that MFGM contains nearly 200 special lipids and proteins, which play an important role in the brain development of babies, and has positive impact on both the babies' immune system and intestinal health.

The Sensory Lab: Emphasis on infant formula R&D is embedded in Mead Johnson's DNA

"Every drop of nutrition in Mead Johnson's formula contains the effort of researchers," Xiaoxiaobao Mama said after she finished visiting the sensory lab. "To be an excellent baby formula brand, you can't ignore the baby's feeding experience."

In addition to the nutritional value of the milk powder, sensory feeling is another factor that affects a baby's nutrition intake. To better understand the mystery around a baby's senses, Mead Johnson created a sensory lab. "We make the effort to ensure that our products are consistent for babies in terms of three dimensions: taste, smell and feel," said a Mead Johnson scientist in the sensory lab. "Many people think adults have the same taste preferences as babies. In fact, a fetus has its own taste preferences in utero, which are different from those of adults."

Brand Recognition: Love that can stand the test of time

Built on the true story of a father seeking to save his child, Mead Johnson is acutely aware of how valuable each child is to their family. The three influencers expressed their appreciation for the Mead Johnson work after their journey.

Xiaoxiaobao Mama - "The needs of babies always come first! When I heard that story that MJN produced a batch of special formula according to an individual baby's needs and saved his life, I know it is not just a slogan at Mead Johnson."

Janice - "My baby is a devoted user of Mead Johnson products. This company has withstood the test of time as an enterprise that consistently puts the health and safety of babies as its top priority."

Zaozao Wang - "Life is more significant here than profits. It allows more families around the world to not only experience the professionalism of Mead Johnson, but also the love and warmth of the infant nutrition company."

SOURCE Mead Johnson