title: Nitrite and nitrate concentrations and metabolism in breast milk, infant formula, and parenteral nutrition.
abstract: Dietary nitrate and nitrite are sources of gastric NO, which modulates blood flow, mucus production, and microbial flora. However, the intake and importance of these anions in infants is largely unknown. Nitrate and nitrite levels were measured in breast milk of mothers of preterm and term infants, infant formulas, and parenteral nutrition. Nitrite metabolism in breast milk was measured after freeze-thawing, at different temperatures, varying oxygen tensions, and after inhibition of potential nitrite-metabolizing enzymes. Nitrite concentrations averaged 0.07 ± 0.01 μM in milk of mothers of preterm infants, less than that of term infants (0.13 ± 0.02 μM) (P < .01). Nitrate concentrations averaged 13.6 ± 3.7 μM and 12.7 ± 4.9 μM, respectively. Nitrite and nitrate concentrations in infant formulas varied from undetectable to many-fold more than breast milk. Concentrations in parenteral nutrition were equivalent to or lower than those of breast milk. Freeze-thawing decreased nitrite concentration ~64%, falling with a half-life of 32 minutes at 37°C. The disappearance of nitrite was oxygen-dependent and prevented by ferricyanide and 3 inhibitors of lactoperoxidase. Nitrite concentrations in breast milk decrease with storage and freeze-thawing, a decline likely mediated by lactoperoxidase. Compared to adults, infants ingest relatively little nitrite and nitrate, which may be of importance in the modulation of blood flow and the bacterial flora of the infant GI tract, especially given the protective effects of swallowed nitrite.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology.
authors.forename: Jesica A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology Posthumous.
authors.forename: Janet R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ninnis
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology.
authors.forename: Andrew O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Hopper
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology.
authors.forename: Yomna
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: T Allen
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Merritt
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Pharmacy, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California.
authors.forename: Kim-Wah
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.affiliation: Center for Perinatal Biology.
authors.forename: Gordon G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Power
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology Center for Perinatal Biology ablood@llu.edu.
authors.forename: Arlin B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Blood
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005615:Freezing; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula / Q000737:chemistry*; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000378:metabolism*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D009573:Nitrites / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D057947:Parenteral Nutrition Solutions / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D057947:Parenteral Nutrition Solutions
keywords: dietary nitrate; dietary nitrite; human milk; lactoperoxidase; newborn infants; nitric oxide; nitrite oxidation; parenteral nutrition
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