**Abstract**

Human breast milk provides all necessary nutrients for the development of term infants. In addition to its universally recognized nutrients, human breast milk contains a number of non-nutritive components that play a potential role in supporting infant growth. Human breast milk also contains bioactive compounds exerting a wide range of beneficial effects, such as promoting immune system maturation and exerting protection against infections. Supplementation of infant formulae with oligosaccharides and bacteria with proven beneficial health effects seems to be well-founded. The purpose of supplementation is to mimic the functional effects of oligosaccharides and bacteria found in human breast milk. Oligosaccharides with prebiotic functions and bacteria strains with probiotic functions have recently been added to infant formulae in the European Union and other countries. However, a systematic review conducted by the Committee on Nutrition of the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition revealed that there is no conclusive evidence supporting the routine use of probiotic- and/or prebiotic-fortified infant formulae. The aim of this review is to analyze the scientific basis for supplementation of infant formula with these compounds.

**Keywords:** intestinal microbiota, infant formulae, probiotic, prebiotic, symbiotic
