COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURES OF TRIGLYCERIDES OF HUMAN-MILK AND SOME BASE COMPONENTS FOR INFANT MILK FORMULAS

Following HPLC separation of human milk triglycerides with a silver-loaded ion exchange and an RP-18-phase column, the 50 substantial fractions obtained were characterized by gas chromatography of triglycerides and fatty acid methyl esters as well as by the analysis of intramolecular distribution on a reduced scale using ethyl magnesium bromide. Exploitation of all data available resulted in the detailed structures of 106 triglycerides, representing 81 g/100 g human milk fat. A substitute for producing infant milk formulas should be adapted to the composition and fatty acid distribution of those 14 substantial triglycerides which are present in human milk fat with more than 1 g/100 g, amounting to a total of 42 g/100 g. Among several fats and oils analyzed, only lard and a recent product were found to contain palmitic acid also predominantly in the 2-position. Therefore, other base components would require a directed fractionation and/or interesterification to be best adapted to human milk fat.