QUANTIFICATION OF INDIVIDUAL OLIGOSACCHARIDE COMPOUNDS FROM HUMAN-MILK USING HIGH-PH ANION-EXCHANGE CHROMATOGRAPHY

A quantification method suitable for determination of individual oligo saccharide compounds from human milk has been established. The crude m ilk oligosaccharide fraction was separated into acidic oligosaccharide s, neutral oligosaccharides, and lactose by gel permeation chromatogra phy. After this separation step neutral and acidic oligosaccharides we re analyzed separately by high-ps anion-exchange chromatography with p ulsed amperometric detection, The concentrations of 14 neutral oligosa ccharides, of 6 acidic oligosaccharides, and of N-acetylneuraminic aci d were determined on the internal standards stachyose and galacturonic acid, respectively, Thus, previously applied quantification methods f or milk oligosaccharides based on gel permeation chromatography have b een decisively improved. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.