LIPID-CONTENT AND FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION IN FOODS COMMONLY CONSUMED BY NURSING CONGOLESE WOMEN - INCIDENCES ON THEIR ESSENTIAL FATTY-ACID INTAKES AND BREAST-MILK FATTY-ACIDS

The fat content and fatty acid (FA) composition of nearly 40 foods, cu rrently consumed by 102 nursing Congolese mothers living in Brazzavill e, were determined to assess their impact on mothers' essential fatty acid (EFA) intakes and breast milk FA. Data on mothers' milk FA and di etary habits which allowed food selection were recently published (Roc quelin et al., 1998). Most foods were locally produced. Food samples w ere collected at local markets, bleached if necessary to avoid microbi al degradation, and stored at +4 degrees C or -20 degrees C. They were lyophilized upon their arrival in the laboratory before lipid analyse s. FA composition of food lipids was determined by capillary gas chrom atography. Staple diets included low-fat, high-carbohydrate foods (pro cessed cassava roots, wheat bread) and high-polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) foods: soybean oil thigh in 18 : 2 n-6 and (alpha-18 : 3 n-3), bushbutter (dacryodes edulis), peanuts, avocado (high in fat and 18 : 2 n-6), freshwater and salt-water fish (high in LC n-3 and/or n-6 PUF A), and leafy green vegetables (low in fat but very high in alpha-18 : 3 n-3). Their frequent consumption by nursing mothers provided enough EFA to meet requirements due to lactation. It also explains why mothe rs' breast milk was rich in C8-C14 saturated FA (26% of total FA) and in n-6, n-3 PUFA (respectively 15.0% and 2.4% of total FA) highly prof itable for breastfed infants' development. From this point of view, di etary habits of Congolese mothers have to be sustained for they are mo re adequate than most Western-type diets.