Carotenoid supply in breast-fed and formula-fed neonates

Carotenoids have various biological functions including their role as antio xidants. For humans fruits and vegetables are the only source of carotenoid s. In the first months breast milk and/or formula preparations are the only nutrition for infants. To study the influence of nutrition on the plasma c arotenoid profile in newborns, breast milk, different formula preparations, and the plasma of breast-fed (BF) and formula-fed (FF) newborns were analy zed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The method used allowed beta -carotene, alpha-carotene, lycopene, and beta-cryptoxanthine to be detected and all four were found in breast milk. In colostrum carotenoids were up t o five times higher than in mature breast milk (P < 0.05). In contrast. not all carotenoids could be found in formula preparations. beta-Carotene was detected in four out of eight, and beta-cryptoxanthine in three out of eigh t formula preparations. Lycopene and alpha-carotene were not detectable in any of the formula preparations. Four formula preparations did not contain any carotenoids. FF infants had different plasma carotenoid profiles compar ed to BF infants. beta-Carotene was significantly lower in FF infants [14 ( 0-32) mu g/l, median and interquartile ranges] than in infants after birth [24(19-310) mu g/l, P < 0.05], and BF infants [32 (22-63) mu g/l, P < 0.05] . While newborns after birth had measurable plasma concentrations of lycope ne (16 [14-18] mu g/l) and of alpha-carotene [5 (0-8) mu g/l), these carote noids were no longer detectable in FF infants after day 14. Conclusion FF and BF infants show significant biochemical differences in pl asma carotenoid concentrations.