Compliance of present recommendations of fatty acids in formulas for term infants with the actual human milk fatty acid composition in different populations

Fats are the only dietary agents possibly modulating the individual membrane composition, which otherwise is "genetically" determined. In infancy, human milk represents the first natural source of fats. Although the fat intake of breastfed infants is quantitatively and qualitatively unique, it is not known to what extent their varying requirements are met by the fat composition in the milk of their mothers. Conclusion: The fat composition of arbitrarily chosen human milk is not always the best standard for that in infant formula.