Hero Institute for Infant Nutrition (Spain)

Background Breastfeeding is the gold standard of infant feeding, however not all infants with cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA) tolerate human milk. In these cases, it seems recommended the use of extensively hydrolyzed formula (eHF). Preliminary analyses such as antigenicity and protein quality evaluation are needed to ensure that new formula will be nutritionally suitable, tolerated and safe for infants with CMPA. The aim of this study was to determine the protein quality of a whey hydrolysate (WH) and casein hydrolysate (CH).

A sensitive, selective and solvent-free procedure is proposed for the rapid determination of monophosphate nucleotides (cytidine 5'-monophosphate, uridine 5'-monophosphate, adenosine 5'-monophosphate, and guanosine 5'-monophosphate) in baby foods. The method is based on the deproteinization of foods and direct analysis by anion exchange liquid chromatography (LC). Nucleotides were separated on an SAX anion exchange column with isocratic elution using 0.01 M dihydrogenphosphate buffer (pH 3.5) as mobile phase at a flow-rate of 1 mL min(-1) and detected by diode-array detection (DAD). The LC method rapidly separated the nucleotides (9 min) and was validated for linearity, detection and quantitation limits, selectivity, accuracy, and precision. The recoveries obtained for spiked samples were satisfactory for all the analytes. The proposed procedure allowed the only authorized nucleotides in infant formulas to be determined and was successfully applied to the analysis of different baby and/or functional food samples, including infant formulas, fermented milk, cereals, and purees.

ABSTRACTObjectivesSupplementation of preterm formulas with cholesterol could help to mimic the fat composition of human milk. However, this could possibly influence vitamin D 25‐hydroxylation because this reaction is catalyzed in part by the mitochondrial cytochrome P‐450, the enzyme responsible for the 27‐hydroxylation of cholesterol. The purpose of this study was to verify whether the addition of cholesterol to preterm formulas could interfere with vitamin D metabolism in preterm neonates.MethodsIn a prospective study, 30 preterm neonates were randomly assigned to a low (< 0.03 g/L), medium (0.15 g/L), or high (0.30 g/L) cholesterol‐content preterm formula until theoretical term (i.e., 40 weeks post‐conceptional age). Anthropometric data and serum hydroxy‐vitamin D and 1,25 dihydroxy‐vitamin D concentrations were measured at study entry and theoretical term. In a subgroup of 14 subjects, serum cholesterol and lymphocyte 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase mRNA were also assessed.Results(median [25th, 75 th centiles]): At theoretical term, there were no significant differences in serum hydroxy‐vitamin D concentrations among the three groups, even after adjustment for confounding variables (65 [50, 78] nmol/L, 79 [59, 86] nmol/L, and 67 [43, 103] nmol/L, respectively, P = 0.65) or 1,25 dihydroxy‐vitamin D (P = 0.88). Furthermore, there were no significant differences in 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase mRNA copy numbers.ConclusionsIn preterm neonates fed formulas with a cholesterol content similar to or higher than that of human milk, we did not observe deleterious effects on vitamin D metabolism. However, long‐term effects of cholesterol supplementation require further studies.