HMOs bind to pathogenic bacteria and prevent them from attaching to and infecting gut cells.

“HMOs they also serve as decoys to protect the infant from gut infections in order for bad bacteria to cause infection they must first target and bind to specific carbohydrates found on the cells that line the gut however the overall structure and shape of hmos mimics that of bacterial targets the bad bacteria bind to the hmos instead preventing them from establishing themselves in the gut”