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Macronutrient composition of milk produced by Ngandu and Aka women in the Central African Republic
Author(s) -
Williams Janet,
Wilcox Jennifer,
Meehan Courtney L,
Brooker Sarah L,
Hunt Katherine M,
McGuire Mark A,
McGuire Michelle K
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.624.5
Subject(s) - lactose , aka , composition (language) , zoology , food science , biology , art , literature , library science , computer science
This study was designed to (1) test the feasibility of collecting human milk in extremely remote locations for analysis of macronutrient and microbiological composition and (2) conduct a preliminary trial of the collection procedures in two populations living in the Central African Republic (CAR). Milk samples were preserved with Microtab II tablets (2‐bromo‐w‐nitropropase‐1,3‐diol and natamycin), stored at 99°F, and analyzed for lipid, lactose, and protein at various time points using standard methodologies. Milk lipid, protein, and lactose contents remained stable for over 10 wk (2.4% ± 0.4, 17.4 ± 2.6 mg/mL, 78.6 ± 2.0 g/L, respectively). Milk was then collected from 13 women (25 ± 5 y; 5.2 ± 4.3 mo postpartum) in the Ngandu farming community and 17 women (27 ± 8 y; 15.2 ± 9.3 mo postpartum) from the Aka tropical forest foragers in the CAR. Milk was hand expressed, aseptically transferred into sterile tubes containing bronopol, stored at ambient temperature (~ 95°F) for ~ 3 wk and then stored at −20ºC prior to analyses. Milk components measured included total lipid (3.3 ± 1.5%), protein (15.5 ± 3.3 mg/mL), and lactose (85.3 ± 10.7 g/L). These results indicate that preservation of milk with bronopol tablets allows its collection and storage in remote field locations without refrigeration for the study of various aspects of milk composition and their relationships to maternal and infant health. This work was supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the National Science Foundation (BCS – 0955213).