title: Influence of organic diet on the amount of conjugated linoleic acids in breast milk of lactating women in the Netherlands.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to find out whether the incorporation of organic dairy and meat products in the maternal diet affects the contents of the conjugated linoleic acid isomers (CLA) and trans-vaccenic acid (TVA) in human breast milk. To this purpose, milk samples from 312 breastfeeding mothers participating in the KOALA Birth Cohort Study have been analysed. The participants had documented varying lifestyles in relation to the use of conventional or organic products. Breast milk samples were collected 1 month postpartum and analysed for fatty acid composition. The content of rumenic acid (the main CLA) increased in a statistically significant way while going from a conventional diet (no organic dairy/meat products, 0.25 weight % (wt%), n 186) to a moderately organic diet (50-90 % organic dairy/meat, 0.29 wt%, n 33, P = 0.02) and to a strict organic diet (>90 % organic dairy/meat, 0.34 wt%, n 37, P </= 0.001). The levels of TVA were augmented among the participants with a moderately organic diet (0.54 wt%) and those with a strict organic diet (0.59 wt%, P </= 0.001), in comparison with the conventional group (0.48 wt%). After adjusting for covariables (recruitment group, maternal age, maternal education, use of supplements and season), statistical significance was retained in the group of the strict organic dairy users (P < 0.001 for rumenic acid). Hence, the levels of CLA and TVA in human milk can be modulated if breastfeeding mothers replace conventional dairy and/or meat products by organic ones. A potential contribution of CLA and TVA to health improvement is briefly discussed.
authors.affiliation: Research Department, Paracelsus Hospital Richterswil, Bergstrasse 16, CH-8805 Richterswil, Switzerland. lukas.rist@paracelsus-spital.ch
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rist
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barthel
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Snijders
authors.forename: Margje
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.forename: A Paula
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Simões-Wüst
authors.forename: Machteld
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: Ischa
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kummeling
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: von Mandach
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Steinhart
authors.forename: Carel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thijs
mesh_terms: D001942:Breast Feeding; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D058870:Food, Organic; D006801:Humans; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology*; D044243:Linoleic Acids, Conjugated / Q000032:analysis*; D008461:Meat Products; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D009829:Oleic Acids / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D044243:Linoleic Acids, Conjugated; D009829:Oleic Acids; C046938:9,11-linoleic acid; C050413:11-octadecenoic acid