Aptamil Pepti MCT is a specialised European infant formula for babies from birth with fat malabsorption. It combines extensively hydrolysed whey protein with medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), which make up half of its total fat and are absorbed more directly than ordinary long-chain fats. This listing is a 450 g box, roughly 101 fl oz of prepared formula at standard dilution.
This is the most clinically specific formula we stock, and it is important to be exact about who it is for. Nutricia's guidance for this product — sold in the UK as Aptamil Pepti Junior — lists indications including short bowel syndrome, recovery after gastrointestinal surgery, liver disease, chronic diarrhoea and feed intolerance. Those are conditions that a hospital team diagnoses and manages. This is not a "sensitive tummy" formula and it is not the general-purpose choice for a milk allergy.
The difference from the rest of the Pepti range is the fat. When a baby's gut is damaged, shortened or working with impaired bile flow, ordinary long-chain fats can pass through without being absorbed — which shows up as poor weight gain no matter how much milk goes in. MCT fats take a shorter absorption route, so more of the energy in the bottle actually reaches the baby. The formula is also very low in lactose at 0.05 g per 100ml and engineered to a low osmolality of 220 mOsmol/kg, both of which reduce the load on a compromised gut lining.
Where it sits in the feeding journey: Pepti MCT can be a baby's sole source of nutrition from birth to six months and continue as part of a mixed diet from six months, but in practice it is usually one component of a feeding plan written by a paediatric dietitian, sometimes alongside or alternating with other feeds. If your baby has a straightforward cow's milk protein allergy with no absorption problem, Aptamil Pepti 1 is the formula designed for that, not this one.
From birthSole nutrition to 6 months
450 gSingle box
~101 fl oz≈ 20 × 5 oz bottles (est.)
50% MCTShare of total fat
The yield figure is our own calculation from an assumed scoop weight, not a manufacturer-published number, and it assumes the standard dilution. Treat it as a planning estimate only.
Nutrition
What's in Aptamil Pepti MCT per 100ml?
At the standard 13.4% dilution, every 100ml provides 276 kJ / 66 kcal, 3.4g fat of which 1.7g is MCT, 1.8g extensively hydrolysed whey protein and 7.2g carbohydrate, with only 0.05g lactose. Osmolality is 220 mOsmol/kg H₂O, deliberately low to reduce osmotic stress on a damaged gut.
Carbohydrate 7.2 g
Fat 3.4 g
Protein 1.8 g
Per 100ml · standard dilution
Amount
Energy
276 kJ / 66 kcal
Fat
3.4 g
— of which MCT
1.7 g
Protein (hydrolysed whey)
1.8 g
Carbohydrate
7.2 g
— of which lactose
0.05 g
MCT per 100 g powder
12.4 g
Osmolality
220 mOsmol/kg
Allergens
Milk, fish
The ingredient deck opens with glucose syrup and extensively hydrolysed whey protein, then medium-chain triglycerides and a vegetable oil blend of rapeseed, sunflower and palm oils, then maltodextrin, with a full complement of vitamins, minerals and nucleotides. The carbohydrate base is deliberately built from glucose syrup and maltodextrin rather than lactose, because lactose digestion is often one of the first things to fail in a damaged gut.
The science
Why does Aptamil Pepti MCT use medium-chain fats?
Because medium-chain triglycerides are absorbed more directly than long-chain fats. They bypass some of the digestive and absorption steps that stop working when a baby's gut is damaged, shortened or short of bile — so more of the energy in the bottle is actually taken up rather than passing through.
In Aptamil Pepti MCT, MCT makes up 50% of the total fat, or 12.4 g per 100 g of powder. That is the defining feature of this product and the reason it exists as a separate formula from Aptamil Pepti 1, which has the same extensive hydrolysis but an ordinary long-chain fat blend.
Two other design choices point the same way. The formula is very low in lactose at 0.05 g per 100ml, because lactase is one of the first enzymes lost when the gut lining is inflamed. And its osmolality is held at 220 mOsmol/kg, lower than a standard feed, which reduces the osmotic pull of fluid into the bowel — the mechanism behind a lot of feed-related diarrhoea in these babies.
Medium-chain triglyceride · MCT
Long-chain triglyceride · standard fat blend
Chain length is what changes the absorption route. A gut that cannot handle the longer route still absorbs the shorter one, which is why MCT is used where weight gain is failing despite adequate feed volume.
Aptamil Pepti MCT
Standard fat blend
Schematic illustrations of fat chain length and blend, not to scale and not microscopy. Whether a baby needs an MCT feed, and at what strength, is a clinical decision.
Full transparency
What is not in Aptamil Pepti MCT — and what is?
Aptamil Pepti MCT is a medical nutrition product and we describe it as one. It contains almost no lactose and no intact cow's milk protein. It does contain palm oil in the long-chain part of its fat blend, glucose syrup and maltodextrin, and it is not organic certified — the "hypoallergenic" in the product title refers to the extensive hydrolysis, not to any organic claim.
In this box
Aptamil Pepti MCT
Intact cow's milk protein
None — extensively hydrolysed whey
Lactose
Very low — 0.05 g per 100ml
MCT fat
Yes — 50% of total fat
Low osmolality
Yes — 220 mOsmol/kg
Palm oil
Yes, in the vegetable oil blend
Glucose syrup & maltodextrin
Yes — the carbohydrate base
Probiotic strain
None — see Pepti SYNEO for that
Organic certified
No
Allergens
Milk, fish
We do not list a prebiotic for this formula, because the GOS/FOS blend documented for Aptamil Pepti 1 and 2 is not documented for the MCT product in the material we hold. Check the ingredient panel on your own box.
Comparison
How does Aptamil Pepti MCT compare to Aptamil Pepti 1 and Aptamil Pepti SYNEO?
All three are extensively hydrolysed formulas from the same range, but they answer different problems. Pepti 1 is the standard choice for a diagnosed cow's milk allergy. Pepti SYNEO is the same allergy indication with an added synbiotic. Pepti MCT is for babies whose gut cannot absorb ordinary fat, which is a much narrower and more serious indication.
Specialised Aptamil
Aptamil Pepti MCT
Aptamil Pepti 1
Aptamil Pepti SYNEO
What it is for
Malabsorption-related conditions
Diagnosed or suspected CMPA
Diagnosed or suspected CMPA
Hydrolysis
Extensive
Extensive
Extensive
MCT fat
Yes — 50% of total fat
Not an MCT formula
Not an MCT formula
Lactose
Very low — 0.05 g/100ml
See product page
See product page
Osmolality
220 mOsmol/kg
See product page
See product page
Probiotic strain
None
None
Bifidobacterium breve M-16V
Prebiotic
See product page
GOS/FOS 9:1
GOS/FOS
Protein per 100ml
1.8 g
1.6 g
See product page
Age
From birth
From birth
From birth
Pack size
450 g
800 g
400 g
Being straight with you: start with the pack sizes, because they do not match — 450 g here, 800 g for Pepti 1, 400 g for Pepti SYNEO. Comparing the shelf prices of these three tells you nothing useful. Compare price per prepared fluid ounce instead, and remember the 800 g box will almost always win on that basis simply because it is bigger. On the merits: if your baby has a straightforward cow's milk allergy and no absorption problem, Aptamil Pepti 1 is the better and cheaper formula and MCT gives you nothing extra. If your clinician wants added gut-microbiome support, Aptamil Pepti SYNEO carries a documented probiotic strain that Pepti MCT does not. Pepti MCT earns its place only where fat absorption is the actual problem — and that is a diagnosis, not a hunch.
Planning ahead
How many boxes of Aptamil Pepti MCT will my baby need per month?
We do not publish a boxes-per-month figure for Aptamil Pepti MCT, and that is deliberate. Babies on this formula are almost always following a feeding plan set by a paediatric dietitian, often with the formula used alongside or alternating with other feeds, so a general monthly estimate would be misleading rather than helpful.
What we can give you is the yield. One 450 g box makes approximately 101 fl oz of prepared formula at the standard dilution, or about 20 bottles of 5 fl oz. That figure is our own calculation from an assumed scoop weight rather than a manufacturer-published number, so treat it as an estimate.
To work out your own monthly need, take the daily volume in millilitres your care team has given you, multiply by roughly 30 days, and divide by 3,000ml — the approximate prepared volume of one box at standard dilution. If the plan uses the higher-energy dilution, the arithmetic changes, and your dietitian is the person to do it with you.
Yield is an estimate based on an assumed scoop weight and the standard dilution. If you would like us to check current stock levels before you commit to a reorder cycle, message us.
Preparation
How do you prepare Aptamil Pepti MCT?
At the standard dilution, use 3 level scoops to 90ml of water — one scoop per 30ml. Sterilise the bottle, boil fresh water and let it cool, pour the measured water in first, add the scoops, shake until fully dissolved, cool to body temperature and feed straight away.
3 : 90mlStandard scoops to water
13.4%Standard dilution
66 kcalPer 100ml at standard dilution
220mOsmol/kg osmolality
1
Sterilise everything
Wash and sterilise the bottle, teat, ring and cap, and wash your hands before you start.
2
Boil and cool
Boil fresh drinking water and let it cool before use, following the cooling time printed on your box.
3
Water into the bottle first
Pour the measured water into the sterilised bottle before you add any powder — never the other way round.
4
Three level scoops per 90ml
Add three level scoops for every 90ml of water at the standard dilution, levelling each scoop and never packing it.
5
Cap and shake
Cap the bottle and shake vigorously until the powder has completely dissolved, with no lumps left.
6
Cool, test, feed
Cool the bottle under running water, test a drop on your wrist so it feels body temperature, and feed straight away.
A higher-energy dilution of this formula exists for babies whose malabsorption is complicated by malnutrition. That stronger mix is set by a doctor or dietitian and should never be made up at home without being told to. Do not add extra scoops to "top up" calories. Never use artificially softened water or water boiled more than once, make a fresh bottle for every feed, never reheat or microwave, and discard unused feed rather than saving it.
A note on water temperature. Aptamil gives the cooling time for this formula on the box rather than as a single temperature, and that is the instruction to follow.
Many health authorities, including the NHS and WHO, advise 70°C or hotter for any powdered formula, because powder is not sterile and that temperature kills bacteria that can occasionally be present. The difference matters most for newborns, premature babies, and babies with weakened immunity. If your baby is in one of those groups, ask your paediatrician or health visitor which to follow for your situation.
Please read before buying
Aptamil Pepti MCT is a specialised formula for babies with malabsorption-related conditions, including short bowel syndrome, recovery from gastrointestinal surgery, liver disease and chronic diarrhoea. It is intended for use under direct medical and dietetic supervision and is not a general hypoallergenic or sensitive-tummy formula. Nothing on this page is a diagnosis or a feeding plan. Contains milk and fish. Breastfeeding is best for your baby — talk to your doctor or dietitian before starting or changing a formula.
Store boxes in a cool, dry place. Once opened, use within the period stated on the pack. Never reheat or microwave prepared formula.
Taste, smell & naming
Extensively hydrolysed formulas smell and taste stronger and more savoury than standard milk — normal, not spoilage. You may also see this formula sold in the UK as Aptamil Pepti Junior in the same 450 g size; the two names describe the same clinical product across different markets.
Questions parents ask
Aptamil Pepti MCT: frequently asked questions
What age is Aptamil Pepti MCT for?
Aptamil Pepti MCT is for babies from birth. It can act as a sole source of nutrition up to six months and continue as part of a mixed diet from six months onward. In practice, how long a baby stays on it depends entirely on the condition being managed, and that timeline is set by the hospital team or dietitian rather than by the baby's age.
What is the difference between Aptamil Pepti MCT and Aptamil Pepti 1?
Both are extensively hydrolysed whey formulas, so both reduce allergic reaction to cow's milk protein. The difference is fat. Pepti MCT replaces half of its fat with medium-chain triglycerides, which are absorbed more directly, and it is very low in lactose with a deliberately low osmolality. Pepti 1 has an ordinary long-chain fat blend and is the standard choice for a milk allergy on its own.
What is MCT and why would a baby need it?
MCT stands for medium-chain triglycerides, a type of fat with shorter molecular chains than the fats in ordinary formula. Shorter chains are absorbed more directly, bypassing some of the digestive steps that fail when a baby's gut is damaged, shortened or short of bile. A baby who is not gaining weight despite taking enough milk may be losing fat rather than absorbing it, and MCT feeds are one clinical answer to that.
Can I use the stronger dilution to add calories?
No, not on your own. A higher-energy dilution of this formula does exist for malabsorption complicated by malnutrition, but it is prescribed by a doctor or dietitian who has calculated your baby's energy needs and fluid balance. Making a feed stronger without that calculation risks dehydration and an excessive solute load. The instructions on this page are for the standard dilution only.
Is Aptamil Pepti MCT organic?
No. Aptamil Pepti MCT carries no organic certification. The words "European Hypoallergenic Infant Formula" in the product title refer to its extensive protein hydrolysis and its European manufacture, not to an organic claim. EU organic rules do not permit an organic label on extensively hydrolysed protein in any case, so no formula in this category carries one.
How much prepared formula does one 450 g box make?
One 450 g box makes approximately 101 fluid ounces at the standard dilution, or roughly 20 bottles of 5 fl oz. That figure is our own calculation from an assumed scoop weight rather than a published manufacturer number, so treat it as an estimate and check the feed table on your own box. At a higher-energy dilution the box yields less prepared volume.
Is this the same product as Aptamil Pepti Junior?
It appears to be the same clinical formulation sold under two regional names. UK sources use "Aptamil Pepti Junior" for a 450 g tin with the same MCT content and the same malabsorption indications that international retailers list under "Aptamil Pepti MCT". We have matched pack size, MCT share and clinical profile across sources, but we have not found a manufacturer statement formally equating the two names, so we flag it rather than assert it.
Explore the range
Related formulas at Bonpek Baby
Aptamil Pepti 1The standard extensively hydrolysed formula for cow's milk allergy, from birth.
Aptamil Pepti SYNEOExtensively hydrolysed plus a prebiotic and probiotic synbiotic blend.
Aptamil Pepti 2The 6 months+ stage in the extensively hydrolysed range.
Aptamil HA 1Partially hydrolysed, for allergy risk reduction — not for a diagnosed allergy.
Aptamil AR 400 gThickened anti-reflux formula, if frequent spit-up is the problem.
All baby formulasBrowse every European formula we stock, by brand and stage.
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Product information last reviewed by the Bonpek Baby team in September 2026 against the manufacturer's current published ingredient and nutrition data. Always check the label on your box, as manufacturers reformulate from time to time.
1- Wash your hands thoroughly, and sterilize bottle, nipple, and all feeding accessories before use.
2- Boil fresh drinking water and let it cool to about 120 °F (≈ 50 °C).
3- Pour roughly two‑thirds of the required water into a clean, sterilized bottle.
4- Use the included measuring scoop; add the recommended number of level scoops — one scoop per 1 oz / 30 mL of water. Do not press or heap the powder.
5- Add the rest of the water, close the bottle, and shake until the powder is fully dissolved.
6- Cool under running water until the formula is approximately body temperature (≈ 98–100 °F / 37–38 °C). Test before feeding.
7- Feed immediately. Discard any unused formula after 1–2 hours. Do not reuse. the
