Chapter 22 - Lipids in breast milk and formulas

Abstract

Fatty acids (FAs) are a vital component of human milk. They influence infant neurodevelopment and immune function, and they provide about 50% of milk's energy content. In this chapter, the general characteristics of human milk and formula lipids and recent knowledge of the composition and functional aspects of human milk lipids are discussed. Different components of breast milk lipids are anchored into the milk fat globules, including diacylglycerols, monoacylglycerols, free FAs, phospholipids, sphingolipids, and cholesterol. We will first introduce the structural features of milk fat globules. Then, we introduce the most important component of breast milk, FAs. We focused on exploring the influence of the lactation period and geography on its composition and the possible reasons. The structure and composition characteristics of the minor components, including phospholipids, sterols, and fat-soluble nutrients, are discussed. Then, we introduced the composition of formula lipids and compared them with breast milk lipids. Finally, the nutritional research progress of breast milk and formula milk lipids was introduced.