Fatty acid composition in Danish infant formula compared to human milk

There is increasing awareness that dietary fatty acids are not only a source of energy, but also have metabolic and functional roles. The fatty acid composition of infant formulas is therefore of interest. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids with 20 carbon groups or more (VLCPUFA) have an effect on neural and visual development and growth, and it has been shown that the content of, and the ratio between, the precursors' linoleic and α-linolenic acid in the diet are of importance for the synthesis of VLCPUFA. The aim of the present study was to analyse the fatty acid composition of 13 infant formulas, intended for term infants, on the Danish market (spring 1993). All six of the standard formulas comply with the Danish legislation regarding content of linoleic acid. However, only 4 of the 13 formulas had a linoleic/α-linolenic ratio between 5 and 15, which is approximately the ratio found in human milk, and the ratio recommended for infant formula by the ESPGAN Committee on Nutrition. There was some deviation in the other fatty acid classes from the composition of human milk. This was especially the case in formulas where medium chain fatty acids triglycerides (MCT) were added, or where corn oil was used as the main fat source. As long as knowledge on the effect of individual fatty acids is limited, it is prudent to make infant formulas with a fatty acid composition as close to that of human milk as possible, which can be achieved by blending a few suitable fat sources.