Abstract
Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), phospholipids (PLs), and gangliosides (GAs) are components of human breast milk that play important roles in the development of the rapidly growing infant. The differences in these components in human milk from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were studied in a cross-sectional trial. High-performance liquid chromatography‒mass spectrometry was used to determine HMO, PL, and GA concentrations in transitional (5–15 days) and mature (at 6 months post-partum) breast milk of mothers of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The results showed that the average HMO (12 species), PL (7 species), and GA (2 species) concentrations quantified in the UAE mothers’ transitional milk samples were (in mg/L) 8204 ± 2389, 269 ± 89, and 21.18 ± 11.46, respectively, while in mature milk, the respective concentrations were (in mg/L) 3905 ± 1466, 220 ± 85, and 20.18 ± 9.75. The individual HMO concentrations measured in this study were all significantly higher in transitional milk than in mature milk, except for 3 fucosyllactose, which was higher in mature milk. In this study, secretor and non-secretor phenotype mothers showed no significant difference in the total HMO concentration. For the PL and GA components, changes in the individual PL and GA species distribution was observed between transitional milk and mature milk. However, the changes were within the ranges found in human milk from other regions.
Highlights
Human milk (HM) is the complete food source for infants, providing all the nutrients required for growth in the early stages of life
The average Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) concentration in transitional milk (8204 ± 2389 mg/L; Table 1) was significantly higher than that measured in mature milk (3905 ± 1466 mg/L; Table 1)
The proportion of the acidic HMOs in transitional milk (18%) was higher than that measured in mature milk (7%); concomitantly, the neutral HMOs in transitional milk were 82% of total HMOs measured, compared with 93% in mature milk
Summary
Human milk (HM) is the complete food source for infants, providing all the nutrients required for growth in the early stages of life. There has been long interest in the composition of human milk and its changes with lactation and differences between mothers and between populations in different geographical locations or with different diets. Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are a major component of HM, forming the third most dominant component (12–18.6 g/L) after lactose (55–70 g/L) and fat 20–60 g/L) [2,3], and on average having a higher concentration than protein. Whether they are a macronutrient in sensu stricto is open to interpretation [4]. Phospholipids (PLs) and gangliosides (GAs), which are constituents of the milkfat globule membrane (MFGM) that surrounds the lipid droplet, are minor components
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