Effect of terminal disinfection and other factors on the stability of ascorbic acid in reliquefied milk products used in infant feeding

Abstract

The following general observations are drawn from the data collected during the course of this investigation: 1.Loss of ascorbic acid in the dry powder contained in the opened can appears to be negligible during the first four days. 2.Reliquefied formulas made from dried milk products of the type used in these studies, containing approximately 75 mg. of total ascorbic acid per quart, and prepared in the conventional manner without heating, lose approximately 11 per cent (about 8 mg.) of their total ascorbic acid content during twenty-four hours of storage under ordinary home refrigeration. 3.Terminally disinfected formulas (originally containing about 75 mg. total ascorbic acid per quart) which have been rapidly cooled before being put under refrigeration lose approximately 15 to 20 per cent (about 11 to 15 mg.) of their total ascorbic acid content during the combined heating and storage period of twenty-four hours. 4.Terminally disinfected formulas allowed to cool slowly lose slightly more of their total ascorbic acid content than if cooled rapidly. 5.Terminal disinfection of the formula by the fast heating high temperature procedure is to be preferred with respect to the stability of ascorbic acid. 6.Warming the refrigerated formula quickly to body temperature just prior to feeding does not increase the loss of ascorbic acid. 7.Exposure of the reliquefied product to light for extended periods of time accelerates the loss of ascorbic acid and is to be avoided. 8.Iron and chlorine in the amounts normally present in treated city waters have no significant effect on the stability of the ascorbic acid in the formulas. 9.Contamination of the water used in making up the formulas with copper generally accelerates the loss of ascorbic acid. Therefore, boiling the water subsequently to be used in making up the formulas in copper vessels is not desirable. The following general observations are drawn from the data collected during the course of this investigation: 1.Loss of ascorbic acid in the dry powder contained in the opened can appears to be negligible during the first four days. 2.Reliquefied formulas made from dried milk products of the type used in these studies, containing approximately 75 mg. of total ascorbic acid per quart, and prepared in the conventional manner without heating, lose approximately 11 per cent (about 8 mg.) of their total ascorbic acid content during twenty-four hours of storage under ordinary home refrigeration. 3.Terminally disinfected formulas (originally containing about 75 mg. total ascorbic acid per quart) which have been rapidly cooled before being put under refrigeration lose approximately 15 to 20 per cent (about 11 to 15 mg.) of their total ascorbic acid content during the combined heating and storage period of twenty-four hours. 4.Terminally disinfected formulas allowed to cool slowly lose slightly more of their total ascorbic acid content than if cooled rapidly. 5.Terminal disinfection of the formula by the fast heating high temperature procedure is to be preferred with respect to the stability of ascorbic acid. 6.Warming the refrigerated formula quickly to body temperature just prior to feeding does not increase the loss of ascorbic acid. 7.Exposure of the reliquefied product to light for extended periods of time accelerates the loss of ascorbic acid and is to be avoided. 8.Iron and chlorine in the amounts normally present in treated city waters have no significant effect on the stability of the ascorbic acid in the formulas. 9.Contamination of the water used in making up the formulas with copper generally accelerates the loss of ascorbic acid. Therefore, boiling the water subsequently to be used in making up the formulas in copper vessels is not desirable.