2.4. Randomization and Blinding
taste or smell
Formula-fed infants were stratified by gender and assigned with random blocks of 6 or 12 using a computerized allocation sequence to receive either SF, α-lac-EW or CGMP-RW from inclusion to six months of age, i.e., during the intervention period. FF and BF infants were consecutively included in a 3:1 pattern with equal numbers of boys and girls. The only exception was at the beginning of the study when every infant meeting the inclusion criteria, regardless of the type of feeding, was included to get the study started. After the inclusion of 10 BF boys and 10 BF girls, FF infants were prioritized to achieve the inclusion rate of 3:1 of FF and BF infants. Blinding of infant formula was done at the formula production site (Laiterie de Montaigu, Le Planty, France). There was no difference in taste or smell among the three infant formulas, which were packed in identical cans, and only differed by a specific code. The double-blinded allocation was retained until all infants had completed their six months visit and all laboratory and statistical analyses up to six months of age had been performed. 