title: Nitrogen content of human milk: limitations of spectrophotometry for the determination of protein in milk.
abstract: Nakai & Chi Le (1970) have described a rapid method for the determination of the N content of bovine milk based on the close correlation of absorbance at 280 nm with values for total N as determined by the Kjeldahl procedure. The applicability of the method to human milk samples has been investigated. The procedure is limited by: (1) the dependence of the relation between absorbance value and N content on both the mode of collection and the postnatal age of the donor, and (2) variable interference by non-protein components of the milk. In spite of these shortcomings, the method may be of value as a screening test for certain human milk banks.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D006801:Humans; D008892:Milk / Q000032:analysis; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000032:analysis*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D013053:Spectrophotometry / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D008894:Milk Proteins; D009584:Nitrogen