Lipids and infant formulas

Plasma Sphingomyelins and Carnitine Esters of Infants Consuming Whole Goat or Cow Milk-Based Infant Formulas or Human Milk

BACKGROUND

Infant formulas are typically manufactured using skimmed milk, whey proteins, and vegetable oils, which excludes milk fat globule membranes (MFGM). MFGM contains polar lipids, including sphingomyelin (SM).

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was comparison of infant plasma SM and acylcarnitine species between infants who are breastfed or receiving infant formulas with different fat sources.

METHODS

In this explorative study, we focused on SM and acylcarnitine species concentrations measured in plasma samples from the TIGGA study (ACTRN12608000047392), where infants were randomly assigned to receive either a cow milk-based infant formula (CIF) with vegetable oils only or a goat milk-based infant formula (GIF) with a goat milk fat (including MFGM) and vegetable oil mixture to the age ≥4 mo. Breastfed infants were followed as a reference group. Using tandem mass spectrometry, SM species in the study formulas and SM and acylcarnitine species in plasma samples collected at the age of 4 mo were analyzed.

RESULTS

Total SM concentrations (∼42 μmol/L) and patterns of SM species were similar in both formulas. The total plasma SM concentrations were not different between the formula groups but were 15 % (CIF) and 21% (GIF) lower in the formula groups than in the breastfed group. Between the formula groups, differences in SM species were statistically significant but small. Total carnitine and major (acyl) carnitine species were not different between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The higher total SM concentration in breastfed than in formula-fed infants might be related to a higher SM content in human milk, differences in cholesterol metabolism, dietary fatty acid intake, or other factors not yet identified. SM and acylcarnitine species composition in plasma is not closely related to the formula fatty acid composition. This trial was registered at Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry as ACTRN12608000047392.

The Synthesis Followed by Spectral and Calorimetric Evaluation of Stability of Human Milk Fat Substitutes Obtained from Thistle Milk and Lard

The central point of current investigations was the first time ever synthesis of modern substitutes of human milk fat followed by versatile evaluation of their oxidative properties. The enzymatic interesterification conducted at 70°C for 2, 4, and 6 hours, respectively, with milk thistle oil and lard blend as starting reactants was catalyzed by 1,3-specific lipase Lipozyme RM IM, obtained from Rhizomucor miehei. Pressure Differential Scanning Calorimetry (PDSC) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) were applied to evaluate quality of products formed. Although PDSC curves showed lower oxidative stability of newly synthesized fats as compared to both starting materials separately, they can be considered adequate substitutes of human fat milk fat, as distribution of fatty acids in triacylglycerol molecules of substitutes obtained is much alike human milk fat itself, as resulted from analysis of GC data collected. Obvious changes in chemical structure of fats occurring during interesterification resulted in specific alterations in IR spectra of processed materials. Spectral data accompanied by PLS technique were successfully used for accurate determination of oxidative stability of new fats through indirect procedure, i.e., IR-PDSC-reference analysis of induction time. Additionally IR data exclusively, i.e., without any reference data, occurred powerfully in discrimination of human fat milk substitutes obtained.

Chemistry of Human Breast Milk-A Comprehensive Review of the Composition and Role of Milk Metabolites in Child Development

Early nutrition has an enormous influence on a child's physiological function, immune system maturation, and cognitive development. Human breast milk (HBM) is recognized as the gold standard for human infant nutrition. According to a WHO report, breastfeeding is considered as an unequaled way of providing ideal food to the infant, which is required for his healthy growth and development. HBM contains various macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and vitamins) as well as numerous bioactive compounds and interactive elements (growth factors, hormones, cytokines, chemokines, and antimicrobial compounds. The aim of this review is to summarize and discuss the current knowledge about metabolites, which are the least understood components of HBM, and their potential role in infant development. We focus on small metabolites (<1500 Da) and characterize the chemical structure and biological function of polar metabolites such as human milk oligosaccharides, nonprotein molecules containing nitrogen (creatine, amino acids, nucleotides, polyamines), and nonpolar lipids. We believe that this manuscript will provide a comprehensive insight into a HBM metabolite composition, chemical structure, and their role in a child's early life nutrition.

Lipases as biocatalysts for the synthesis of structured lipids

Structured lipids (SL) are broadly referred to as modified or synthetic oils and fats or lipids with functional or pharmaceutical applications. Some structured lipids, such as triglycerides that contain both long-chain (mainly essential) fatty acids and medium- or short-chain fatty acids and also artificial products that mimic the structure of natural materials, namely human milk fat substitutes and cocoa butter equivalents, have been discussed. Further, other modified or synthetic lipids, such as structured phospholipids and synthetic phenolic lipids are also included in this chapter. For all the products described in this chapter, enzymatic production in industry has been already conducted in one way or another. Cocoa butter equivalents, healthy oil containing medium-chain fatty acids, phosphatidyl serine, and phenol lipids from enzyme technology have been reported for commercial operation. As the demand for better quality functional lipids is increasing, the production of structured lipids becomes an interesting area. Thus, in this chapter we have discussed latest developments as well as present industrial situation of all commercially important structured lipids.

Lipase-catalyzed preparation of human milk fat substitutes from palm stearin in a solvent-free system

Human milk fat substitutes (HMFSs) were synthesized by lipozyme RM IM-catalyzed acidolysis of chemically interesterified palm stearin (mp = 58 °C) with mixed FAs from rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, palm kernel oil, stearic acid, and myristic acid in a solvent-free system. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to model and optimize the reactions, and the factors chosen were reaction time, temperature, substrate molar ratio, and enzyme load. The optimal conditions generated from the models were as follows: reaction time, 3.4 h; temperature, 57 °C; substrate molar ratio, 14.6 mol/mol; and enzyme load, 10.7 wt % (by the weight of total substrates). Under these conditions, the contents of palmitic acid (PA) and PA at sn-2 position (sn-2 PA) were 29.7 and 62.8%, respectively, and other observed FAs were all within the range of FAs of HMF. The product was evaluated by the cited model, and a high score (85.8) was obtained, which indicated a high degree of similarity of the product to HMF.

Enzymatic interesterification of tripalmitin with vegetable oil blends for formulation of caprine milk infant formula analogs

The structure of triacylglycerols in vegetable oil blends was enzymatically modified, and the blends were incorporated into skim caprine milk to produce goat milk-based infant formula analogs, homologous to human milk. A modified lipid containing palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids, resembling the composition of human milk fat, was synthesized by enzymatic interesterification reactions between tripalmitin and a vegetable oil blend containing a 2.5:1.1:0.8 ratio of coconut, safflower, and soybean oils. A commercial sn-1,3-specific lipase obtained from Rhyzomucor miehei, Lipozyme RM IM, was used as the biocatalyst. The effects of substrate molar ratio and reaction time on the incorporation of palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids at the sn-2 position of the triacylglycerols were investigated. The fatty acid composition and sn-2 position of the experimental formulas were analyzed using gas chromatography. Results showed that the highest incorporation of palmitic acid was obtained at 12 h of incubation at 55 degrees C with a substrate molar ratio of 1:0.4 of tripalmitin to vegetable oil blend. However, the modified milk interesterified for 12 h at a 1:1 molar ratio had a greater resemblance to human milk compared with the other formulas. The level of oleic acid incorporation at the sn-2 position increased with the molar ratio of tripalmitin to vegetable oil blend. It was concluded that, unlike the original goat milk and other formulas, the formulated caprine milk with a molar ratio of 1:1 and a 12-h incubation was similar to the fatty acid composition of human milk.