title: Red blood cell membrane fatty acid composition in infants fed formulas with different lipid profiles.
abstract: There is growing interest in the fatty acid composition of breast milk and substitute formulas used to replace or complement infant breastfeeding.
  
  
  
  The aims of this study were to assess the impact of two follow-up infant formulas based on cow milk fat, vegetable oils and different docosahexaenoic (DHA) and arachidonic (ARA) acid content on red blood cell membrane fatty acid composition, and determine the percent saturated fatty acid (SFA) incorporation into the membrane.
  
  
  
  This was a double-blind, randomized, controlled, parallel-group clinical trial. Infants received treatment or control product for at least four months before the age of six months. The control group (n=25) received standard infant formula (FA) and the treatment group (n=24) received the same formula supplemented with higher DHA and ARA content (FB). The reference group (n=47) consisted of normal healthy exclusively breastfed infants.
  
  
  
  Red blood cell membrane fatty acid composition was determined by capillary gas chromatography.
  
  
  
  Ninety-six infants completed the study (FA, 25; FB, 24; reference, 47). Higher DHA content reflected higher DHA percentage in the red blood cell membrane. Breast milk and FB did not show any significant differences in DHA content. ARA percentage was higher in breastfed infants and palmitic acid percentage was higher in FB- compared with FA-fed infants.
  
  
  
  DHA and palmitic acid percent distributions were higher in the red blood cell membrane of infants receiving FB. DHA percent distribution was not significantly different in FB-fed and breastfed infants. SFA percent distribution was not significantly different when comparing both formulas with breast milk.
authors.affiliation: IDIP - Instituto de Desarrollo e Investigaciones Pediátricas "Prof. Dr. Fernando E. Viteri" (Hospital de Niños de La Plata, Ministerio de Salud/Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires), Calle 63 N° 1069 (1900), La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Visentin
authors.affiliation: Sancor C.U.L., Departamento de Investigación, Innovación y Desarrollo, Tte. Gral. Richieri 15 (S2322FYA) Sunchales, Santa Fe, Argentina.
authors.forename: Dimas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vicentin
authors.affiliation: Sancor C.U.L., Departamento de Investigación, Innovación y Desarrollo, Tte. Gral. Richieri 15 (S2322FYA) Sunchales, Santa Fe, Argentina.
authors.forename: Graciano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Magrini
authors.affiliation: IDIP - Instituto de Desarrollo e Investigaciones Pediátricas "Prof. Dr. Fernando E. Viteri" (Hospital de Niños de La Plata, Ministerio de Salud/Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires), Calle 63 N° 1069 (1900), La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Santandreu
authors.affiliation: IDIP - Instituto de Desarrollo e Investigaciones Pediátricas "Prof. Dr. Fernando E. Viteri" (Hospital de Niños de La Plata, Ministerio de Salud/Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires), Calle 63 N° 1069 (1900), La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Disalvo
authors.affiliation: IDIP - Instituto de Desarrollo e Investigaciones Pediátricas "Prof. Dr. Fernando E. Viteri" (Hospital de Niños de La Plata, Ministerio de Salud/Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires), Calle 63 N° 1069 (1900), La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sala
authors.affiliation: IDIP - Instituto de Desarrollo e Investigaciones Pediátricas "Prof. Dr. Fernando E. Viteri" (Hospital de Niños de La Plata, Ministerio de Salud/Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires), Calle 63 N° 1069 (1900), La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fasano
authors.affiliation: IDIP - Instituto de Desarrollo e Investigaciones Pediátricas "Prof. Dr. Fernando E. Viteri" (Hospital de Niños de La Plata, Ministerio de Salud/Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires), Calle 63 N° 1069 (1900), La Plata, Argentina. Electronic address: horaciofgonzalez@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Horacio F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: González
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002417:Cattle; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000737:chemistry*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula / Q000737:chemistry*; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D008055:Lipids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis*; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry; D019308:Palmitic Acid / Q000097:blood; D010938:Plant Oils
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D005227:Fatty Acids; D008055:Lipids; D010938:Plant Oils; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D019308:Palmitic Acid
keywords: Breastfeeding; Fatty acids; Infant formula; Infant nutrition