title: Studies on the fluidity of milk lipids of mothers from three socioeconomic groups of West Bengal, India.
abstract: This study evaluated the fluid character of human milk by determining the mean melting points (MMP) of fatty acids of milk lipid of Bengali mothers. Fatty acid methyl esters were analyzed by gas liquid chromatography. MMPs were calculated from the fatty acid concentration (% w/w) and their molar mass. Phospholipid content of samples was also determined. The MMPs of milk lipid of higher income group (n = 48), medium income group (n = 57) and lower income group (n = 112) mothers were found to be 31.33°C ± 0.61, 36.86°C ± 0.64 and 35.11°C ± 0.65, respectively, which showed a significant correlation with the fatty acid composition, with P < 0.0001, 0.003, 0.0001, respectively. The average MMP of milk lipid (34.43°C ± 0.63) of these three groups was below the core body temperature (37.4°C) of human beings, which perhaps helps in maintaining the milk fluidity as well as lipid digestion in breastfed infants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Technology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata- 700 009, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Susmita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Santinath
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: Pubali
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dhar
authors.forename: Mahua
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghosh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D009035:Mothers; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D044366:Transition Temperature
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D008055:Lipids; D010743:Phospholipids
keywords: de novo fatty acids; mean melting point; phospholipid; socioeconomic groups; trans fatty acids