INFLUENCE OF A MINERAL-WATER ON THE RHEOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF RECONSTITUTED INFANT FORMULAS AND DILUTED COWS MILK

A bottled spring water with a low mineral content was compared with ta p water in the reconstitution and/or dilution of five different infant formulas and cows' milk. The osmolality, buffering power and renal so lute load potential of the formulas reconstituted with the bottled wat er were all significantly lower than when tap water was used (P < 0.01 ). When the bottled water was used to dilute cows' milk, the morpholog y of milk casein precipitates (after addition of rennet) was finer and more dispersed than when tap water was used. For formula reconstituti on and milk dilution, a benefit, in terms of solute/electrolyte balanc e, appears to be conferred on infants by the improved rheological char acteristics of modified milks reconstituted or diluted with this bottl ed mineral water.