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ARS Home » Plains Area » Manhattan, Kansas » Center for Grain and Animal Health Research » ABADRU » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #238733

Title: Human Breast Milk Enrichment in Conjugated Linoleic Acid After Consumption of a Conjugated Linoleic Acid–rich Food Product: a Pilot Study

Author
item MOUTSIOULIS, ATHENA
item RULE, DAVID
item Murrieta, Charles
item BAUMAN, DALE
item LOCK, ADAM
item BARBANO, DAVID
item CAREY, GALE

Submitted to: Nutrition Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/2/2008
Publication Date: 6/12/2008
Citation: Moutsioulis, A.A., Rule, D.C., Murrieta, C.M., Bauman, D.E., Lock, A.L., Barbano, D.M., Carey, G.M. 2008. Human Breast Milk Enrichment in Conjugated Linoleic Acid After Consumption of a Conjugated Linoleic Acid–rich Food Product: a Pilot Study. Nutrition Research. Vol. 28, pg 437-442

Interpretive Summary: Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a fatty acid commonly found in dairy products such as milk and cheese. Many health benefits have been associated with consumption of this fatty acid as part of a balanced diet. It has not been determined, however, if a nursing mother consumes a CLA enriched diet, how much is actually available in breast milk and delivered to the newborn. This pilot study determined that CLA is found in breast milk as soon as 1 day following maternal consumption. This study also demonstrates that maternal diet directly affects breast milk composition and nutritional value.

Technical Abstract: Human breast milk is a complex mixture of organic and inorganic compounds. Some compounds, such as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), come partly from the mother's diet and are produced by the mother's body and secreted into the milk. Although several studies have examined the effect of chronic CLA supplementation on breast milk CLA appearance, little is known about the transfer of food CLA to breast milk over the short term. The objective of this study was to conduct a preliminary analysis of the kinetics of CLA appearance in breast milk over the short term. Seven women expressed breast milk at 4- to 6-hour intervals for 2 days after eating either CLA-enriched(1912 mg CLA) or control (231 mg CLA) cookies. Milk samples were freeze-dried, fatty acid methyl esters were prepared using methanolic-potassium hydroxide (KOH), and CLA isomers were quantified by gas chromatography. Analysis revealed the following: (1) CLA enrichment of total fatty acids in the breast milk for 48 hours post ingestion of the CLA-enriched cookies was 2.9-fold above control; (2) total breast milk CLA content for 48 hours post CLA-enriched cookies ingestion was 46% greater than post CLA-moderate cookies ingestion; (3) after ingestion of the CLA-enriched cookies, breast milk CLA enrichment plateaued between 8 to 28 hours. This preliminary study suggests that breast milk fatty acids are enriched in CLA compared to control within 28 hours after the ingestion of a CLA-rich food product and invites further research on the extent and timing with which breast milk composition reflects dietary CLA content.