Fatty acid composition of the milk of well-nourished Sudanese women.
The fatty acid (FA) composition of samples of breast milk obtained from well-nourished Sudanese women was determined by capillary gas chromatography. Saturated fatty acids (SFA) constituted 46%, monoenoic acids (MONOENE) 33% and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) accounted for 21% of total fatty acids. The mean value (18.28%) of the essential fatty acid linoleic acid was comparable to the levels reported for well-nourished mothers from industrialised countries. The proportions of fatty acids synthesised de novo in the mammary gland (10:0, 12:0, 14:0) were less than expected from published studies of mothers consuming low fat diet averaging 17.4%. The amount of 22:6 n-3 which is synthesised from 18:3 n-3 and also taken up by consumption of fish were found to be low. The possible nutritional implications of the low n-3 fatty acids for the infants should therefore be investigated.
Laryea
M D
MD
University Children's Hospital, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Leichsenring
M
M
Mrotzek
M
M
el-Amin
E O
EO
el Kharib
A O
AO
Ahmed
H M
HM
Bremer
H J
HJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000379:methods; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000032:analysis; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D008041:Linoleic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D010298:Parity / Q000502:physiology; D013397:Sudan
D005227:Fatty Acids; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D008041:Linoleic Acids; D019787:Linoleic Acid