Baby Food Gets its Origins from Space
Did you know that baby food gets its origins from space?
Originally developed through experiments with micro-algae, world-renowned baby food, Formulaid, gets its existence from research conducted by NASA. With a history spanning 40 years, Formulaid has now become a sensation around the globe.
Petit Pli’s Space-Inspired Brand
As a space-forward company, Petit Pli has been obsessed with space since the beginning. With garments that are designed to pass the Mars Test, Petit Pli creates sustainable children’s Clothes that Grow in order to save our precious planet from excessive waste. After learning about the origins of baby food and its correlations to space, we couldn’t help but share the story behind its creation.
1980s: The Beginnings of Formulaid
The development of Formulaid all started with the 1980s NASA program: Closed Environment Life Support System (CELSS). Development originally began with Martin Marietta Laboratories leading the way through their experimentation with microalgae in foods. However, in 1985, scientists from the lab eventually left and formed Algatex Inc., which became Martek Biosciences Corporation later that year.
After spending more than a decade on microalgae research, Martek began to receive multiple patents for their products with Formulaid becoming their flagship product.
What is Formulaid? The Science Behind the Product
Formulaid is an algae-based oil containing two polyunsaturated fatty acids: DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and ARA (arachidonic acid).
What are these two acids exactly? Well, they are acids that are commonly found in human milk but until the development of Formulaid, were not found in many infant formulas. They are important because of their strong influence on the mental and visual development of infants. Because they weren’t found in many infant formulas, a product like Formulaid became essential for mothers when they stopped breastfeeding and also for those who couldn’t breastfeed to begin with.
Driven by their passion to develop a product essential for new and current mothers, Martek introduced Formulaid to the world of baby food.
Formulaid Becomes a Global Phenomenon
In 1994, Formulaid became available to sell in Europe through an agreement made with Nutricia, a leading manufacturer of nutritional products in Europe. Originally only available for preterm infants, Formulaid is now available for all infants. 3 years later, Formulaid was introduced to the United States and has increased in popularity year after year.
With products now available in over 75 countries, Formulaid is now consumed by over 30 million babies around the world. And it all started with research done by NASA — another reason why we are obsessed with space here at Petit Pli.
