Composition of the mother ’ s milk II . Fat contents , fatty acid composition . A review

The authors have analysed fat contents and fatty acid composition of the mother’s colostrum and mother’s milk in comparison with the newest publications. They have established that the average fat contents of the mother’s milk were 3.6–4.0%, and increased during lactation. Among the different ethnic groups there was found no significant difference in the fat contents of the mother’s milk, although fat contents of the remainder and milk of corpulent mothers were found high (4–8%). Saturated fatty acids contribute in 45–55% to the energy value of mother’s milk; their amount is 38–41% in the milk fat, which does not change during lactation. With increasing butter consumption palmitic acid and stearic acid contents of the mother’s milk increase, and also fatty acid composition of other nutriment is considerably affects the saturated fatty acid contents. Out of the monounsaturated fatty acids oleic acid represents 3–42%, whereas elaidic acid represents 11–12% of milk