2026/01/01 by Maria F. M. Vignoto, Eloize S. Alves, Eloize Silva Alves +8
Nursing · Medicine · #Infant Nutrition and Health #Fatty Acid Research and Health #Breastfeeding Practices and Influences
paper · doi:10.21577/0103-5053.20260120
Nutrition in early childhood plays a decisive role in growth and lifelong health, with human milk considered the gold standard, while infant formulas (IFs) serve as an alternative when breastfeeding is not possible. This study aimed to quantify and compare the concentrations of human lactoferrin and the fatty acid profile in human milk (colostrum, transitional, and mature) and in IF. Human milk samples were obtained from donors, and the IF were reconstituted according to label instructions. Lactoferrin was quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography; lipids were analyzed by gas chromatography. Data were evaluated using analysis of variance, Tukey’s test, and principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed higher concentrations of lactoferrin in human milk, especially in colostrum (1.173 g L-1), while IF presented absent or lower levels. Human milk exhibited greater lipid diversity, whereas IF showed a higher proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids and the absence of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in some formulations. PCA revealed differences in composition between human milk and IF, concluding that IF does not reproduce the complexity of human milk, highlighting the need for technological advances and experimental and clinical studies to support industrial improvements and guide safer nutritional practices.