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Sterol oxidation in infant milk formulas and milk cereals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 November 1998

PAOLA ZUNIN
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologie Farmaceutiche e Alimentari, Università di Genova, I-16147 Genova, Italia
CLAUDIO CALCAGNO
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologie Farmaceutiche e Alimentari, Università di Genova, I-16147 Genova, Italia
FILIPPO EVANGELISTI
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologie Farmaceutiche e Alimentari, Università di Genova, I-16147 Genova, Italia

Abstract

7-Ketocholesterol and 7-ketositosterol were chosen as reliable markers of the oxidation of cholesterol and phytosterols in infant milk formulas and infant milk cereals. A reversed-phase HPLC method was developed to measure them simultaneously in infant formulas. This method was then tested on a wide range of infant milk formulas and milk cereals on sale in Italy whose lipid composition is representative of the most common commercial formulas. The analytical results revealed no significant differences in the extent of oxidation of cholesterol and sitosterol. As the level of 7-ketocholesterol often followed the cholesterol level, a cholesterol content similar to that of human milk produced amounts of cholesterol oxides with possible negative effects on infant health. In contrast, the low cholesterol content of milk cereals never produced amounts of cholesterol oxides high enough to cause concern. The contents of phytosterols and hence their oxides were always low.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Proprietors of Journal of Dairy Research 1998

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