Abstract
Thirty-four samples of human milk (HM) collected from mothers in Korea were classified into three groups according to their fat content. The lutein + zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, β-carotene, lycopene, α-carotene, and fatty acids (FAs) present in the HM were quantitatively analyzed. Lutein + zeaxanthin and β-cryptoxanthin were the most abundant carotenoid components in this study, followed by β-carotene. When the classified groups were compared in terms of the content of each carotenoid, there was no statistical difference (p > 0.05), indicating that there is no correlation between the content of fat and carotenoid in HM. The mean content of saturated FAs (SFAs), monounsaturated FAs, and polyunsaturated FAs in the analyzed HM were 1.46, 1.36, and 0.83 g/100 g, respectively. In addition, the mean content of arachidonic acid (AA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were 0.02 and 0.029 g/100 g, respectively. Alternatively, all FAs except for certain SFAs (i.e., C8:0, C10:0, C12:0, and C14:0) did not show statistical difference in composition among the three groups (p > 0.05), indicating that the differences in the fat content of HM have limited influence on the FA composition of HM.
Highlights
Human milk (HM) is the source of various macro- and micro-nutrients for infants, providing the different nutritional needs during infancy stages and building resistance to diseases [1]
Previous studies have reported that the content of nutrients in human milk (HM) gradually change during the lactation period, in which carotenoids [2,3] and fatty acids (FAs) [4,5,6] were considered for study
The results suggest that the amount of carotenoids and fat in HM is governed by different mechanisms
Summary
Human milk (HM) is the source of various macro- and micro-nutrients for infants, providing the different nutritional needs during infancy stages and building resistance to diseases [1]. Previous studies have reported that the content of nutrients in HM gradually change during the lactation period, in which carotenoids [2,3] and fatty acids (FAs) [4,5,6] were considered for study. Zeaxanthin, α/β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, α/β/ζ-carotene, and phytofluene are the main compositional carotenoids in HM [7]. Lactating mothers need to ingest rich sources of carotenoids such as vegetables and fruits. Lycopene is mostly found in tomatoes, while citrus fruits are the best source of β-cryptoxanthin [8]
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