TRACE MINERAL STATUS OF FULL-TERM INFANTS FED HUMAN-MILK, MILK-BASED FORMULA OR PARTIALLY HYDROLYZED WHEY-PROTEIN FORMULA

Plasma zinc, copper, and selen ium concentrations were determined in 1 29 full-term infants at birth and at the age of four months by electro thermal or hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry. Of these , 49 infants were exclusively breast-fed (HM), 45 received various com mercially available cow's milk formulae (F) and 35 infants were fed pa rtially hydrolysed whey protein formula (PHF). The results were correl ated with hematological, biochemical and somatic data. Plasma zinc val ues decreased from birth to the age of four months in all three groups (p < 0.001), The plasma Zn level of the babies fed PHF were similar t o those of breast-fed infants, whereas in F-fed children the zinc valu es were significantly lower (PHF, 807 /- 106; HM, 794 +/- 112; F, 725 +/- 111 mu g l(-1); all the measurements were performed at the age of four months), In infants fed PHF formula there was a negative correlat ion between plasma zinc and weight or height increments, In agreement with the literature, plasma copper and ceruloplasmin increased signifi cantly within the first four months of life. The plasma copper content was similar in either feeding group. Plasma selenium was low at birth (40 +/- 9 pg l(-1)) and remained constant in breast-fed infants, In i nfants on PHF there was a steeper decline of plasma Se (20 +/- 6 pg l( -1)) than in infants fed cow's milk formula (29 +/- 9 mu g l(-1)), Oth er parameters of the Se status showed a similar pattern. Despite the d ifferent zinc, copper, and selenium supply, plus presumedly different bioavailability, all the infants thrived. Weight and length increases were similar in each group. The investigated infants did not show any clinical sign of deficiency.