Medium- and long-chain triacylglycerol in human breast milk and
association with maternal dietary patterns
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the influences of maternal dietary
patterns on the triacylglycerol (TAG) composition, particular medium-
and long-chain triacylglycerol (MLCT) in human breast milk. A total of
180 Chinese human breast milk samples were collected and divided into
three dietary patterns groups accounting to semi-quantitative food
intake frequency questionnaire and a 24-hour dietary recall. Using high
performance liquid chromatography combined with quadrupole
time-of-flight mass spectrometry, 108 TAGs were identified and
quantified. In breast milk samples, MLCTs accounted for 25.76 % (median
of 24.63%; 95% CI: 24.60, 26.92) of the total TAGs. In human breast
milk, the main type of MLCT is TAGs esterified with one medium-chain
fatty acid and two long-chain fatty acids (MLL type) which accounted for
~81% of total MLCTs. Among the molecular species of
MLCT, O-P-La, O-L-La, and O-L-M are the three most abundant
configurations in MLCT (2.28%, 2.17%, and 2.01% of total TAGs,
respectively). MLCT in breast milk was positively correlated with the
energy supply ratio of carbohydrates (P = 0.205), which was
significantly higher than that of the other two groups (P = −0.150 and
−0.232).