Table 2.
Median fatty acid composition of HM expressed as g/100 g of total FA.
| FA (g/100 g) | Total Population | Guangzhou | Beijing | Suzhou | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colostrum (0–5 Days) n = 113 |
Transitional (6–15 Days) n = 81 |
Mature (16 Days–8 Months) n = 345 |
Colostrum (0–5 Days) n = 38 |
Transitional (6–15 Days) n = 22 |
Mature (16 Days–8 Months) n = 120 |
Colostrum (0–5 Days) n = 45 |
Transitional (6–15 Days) n = 21 |
Mature (16 Days–8 Months) n = 113 |
Colostrum (0–5 Days) n = 30 |
Transitional (6–15 Days) n = 38 |
Mature (16 Days–8 Months) n = 112 |
|
| 10:0 | 0.5 ± 0.4 | 1.5 ± 0.5 † | 1.6 ± 0.4 ‡ | 0.4 ± 0.4 | 1.4 ± 0.5 | 1.5 ± 0.5 | 0.6 ± 0.5 | 1.5 ± 0.4 | 1.6 ± 0.4 | 0.5 ± 0.4 | 1.6 ± 0.5 | 1.6 ± 0.4 |
| 12:0 | 2.6 ± 1.6 | 6.1 ± 2.3 † | 5.2 ± 1.9 | 2.3 ± 1.5 | 5.5 ± 2.1 | 5.0 ± 2.1 | 2.6 ± 1.7 | 6.5 ± 1.7 | 5.3 ± 1.6 | 2.7 ± 1.7 | 6.3 ± 2.6 | 5.3 ± 1.9 |
| 14:0 | 3.8 ± 1.7 | 5.5 ± 2.2 † | 4.2 ± 1.7 ‡ | 3.6 ± 1.8 | 5.2 ± 1.9 | 4.1 ± 2.0 | 3.8 ± 1.7 | 5.8 ± 1.4 | 4.3 ± 1.4 | 4.0 ± 1.7 | 5.2 ± 2.7 | 4.0 ± 1.7 |
| 16:0 | 23.2 ± 1.9 | 20.5 ± 2.3 † | 19.8 ± 2.6 ‡ | 23.9 ± 1.9 | 21.5 ± 2.1 | 20.6 ± 2.6 | 22.8 ± 2.2 | 21.5 ± 2.2 | 19.8 ± 2.2 | 22.5 ± 1.3 | 19.4 ± 2.2 | 18.5 ± 2.6 |
| 16:1n-7 | 2.0 ± 0.8 | 2.2 ± 0.7 † | 2.0 ± 0.6 | 1.7 ± 1.0 | 2.4 ± 0.8 | 2.2 ± 0.7 | 2.2 ± 0.6 | 1.7 ± 0.6 | 2.0 ± 0.5 | 1.8 ± 0.8 | 2.2 ± 0.5 | 2.0 ± 0.6 |
| 18:0 | 5.2 ± 1.0 | 5.0 ± 0.8 | 5.1 ± 1.1 | 5.5 ± 1.2 | 5.3 ± 0.7 | 5.4 ± 1.2 | 5.1 ± 0.9 | 5.4 ± 0.7 | 5.1 ± 1.0 | 4.9 ± 0.9 | 4.5 ± 0.8 | 4.8 ± 1.0 |
| 18:1n-9 | 34.2 ± 3.2 | 31.9 ± 3.6 † | 31.9 ± 3.6 | 37.1 ± 2.8 | 34.0 ± 2.2 | 33.4 ± 3.3 | 32.6 ± 2.9 | 30.3 ± 2.9 | 30.1 ± 2.9 | 34.0 ± 2.5 | 31.0 ± 4.1 | 31.7 ± 3.7 |
| 18:1n-7 | 2.5 ± 0.4 | 2.2 ± 0.5 † | 1.9 ± 0.3 ‡ | 2.7 ± 0.5 | 2.2 ± 0.4 | 2.0 ± 0.3 | 2.3 ± 0.4 | 2.0 ± 0.3 | 1.7 ± 0.2 | 2.4 ± 0.3 | 2.3 ± 0.6 | 1.9 ± 0.3 |
| 18:2n-6 | 18.9 ± 3.6 | 19.7 ± 3.8 † | 22.8 ± 4.9 ‡ | 15.7 ± 2.8 | 18.0 ± 3.4 | 19.7 ± 4.3 | 20.2 ± 3.5 | 20.2 ± 3.6 | 25.1 ± 3.9 | 19.9 ± 3.0 | 21.0 ± 3.9 | 23.8 ± 5.2 |
| 18:3n-3 | 0.9 ± 0.4 | 1.4 ± 0.6 † | 1.5 ± 0.9 ‡ | 0.7 ± 0.3 | 1.0 ± 0.5 | 1.0 ± 0.6 | 0.9 ± 0.4 | 1.1 ± 0.7 | 1.6 ± 1.1 | 1.2 ± 0.3 | 1.7 ± 0.6 | 2.0 ± 0.8 |
| 18:3n-6 | 0.05 ± 0.07 | 0.09 ± 0.06 † | 0.14 ± 0.06 ‡ | <0.05 | 0.1 ± 0.1 | 0.1 ± 0.1 | 0.1 ± 0.1 | 0.1 ± 0.1 | 0.2 ± 0.1 | <0.05 | 0.1 ± 0.1 | 0.1 ± 0.1 |
| 20:0 | 0.2 ± 0.1 | 0.2 ± 0.05 | 0.2 ± 0.1 | 0.2 ± 0.1 | 0.2 ± 0.1 | 0.2 ± 0.1 | 0.2 ± 0.1 | 0.2 ± 0.1 | 0.2 ± 0.1 | 0.2 ± 0.1 | 0.1 ± 0.1 | 0.2 ± 0.1 |
| 20:1n-9 | 0.9 ± 0.3 | 0.5 ± 0.2 † | 0.4 ± 0.2 | 1.0 ± 0.3 | 0.5 ± 0.2 | 0.4 ± 0.1 | 0.7 ± 0.3 | 0.5 ± 0.1 | 0.3 ± 0.1 | 0.9 ± 0.4 | 0.5 ± 0.2 | 0.6 ± 0.3 |
| 20:2n-6 | 1.2 ± 0.4 | 0.6 ± 0.3 † | 0.4 ± 0.1 ‡ | 1.1 ± 0.4 | 0.5 ± 0.3 | 0.4 ± 0.1 | 1.1 ± 0.4 | 0.8 ± 0.3 | 0.4 ± 0.1 | 1.3 ± 0.4 | 0.6 ± 0.2 | 0.4 ± 0.1 |
| 20:3n-6 | 0.7 ± 0.2 | 0.5 ± 0.2 † | 0.4 ± 0.1 ‡ | 0.6 ± 0.2 | 0.4 ± 0.1 | 0.3 ± 0.2 | 0.8 ± 0.3 | 0.6 ± 0.2 | 0.4 ± 0.1 | 0.7 ± 0.2 | 0.5 ± 0.1 | 0.4 ± 0.1 |
| 20:5n-3 | 0.04 ± 0.05 | 0.05 ± 0.06 † | 0.05 ± 0.07 | <0.05 | 0.10 ± 0.1 | <0.05 | <0.05 | <0.05 | 0.1 ± 0.1 | 0.1 ± 0.1 | <0.05 | 0.1 ± 0.1 |
| 22:1n-9 | 0.2 ± 0.2 | 0.1 ± 0.1 | 0.1 ± 0.3 | 0.2 ± 0.1 | 0.1 ± 0.1 | 0.10 ± 0.2 | 0.2 ± 0.2 | 0.1 ± 0.1 | 0.1 ± 0.1 | 0.3 ± 0.3 | 0.1 ± 0.2 | 0.1 ± 0.5 |
| 20:4n-6 (ARA) | 0.9 ± 0.3 | 0.7 ± 0.2 † | 0.5 ± 0.1 ‡ | 0.9 ± 0.2 | 0.7 ± 0.2 | 0.5 ± 0.2 | 1.1 ± 0.4 | 0.8 ± 0.2 | 0.5 ± 0.1 | 0.9 ± 0.2 | 0.7 ± 0.2 | 0.6 ± 0.1 |
| 24:0 | 0.2 ± 0.1 | 0.1 ± 0.1 † | 0.1 ± 0.1 | 0.2 ± 0.1 | 0.1 ± 0.1 | 0.1 ± 0.1 | 0.3 ± 0.2 | 0.1 ± 0.1 | 0.1 ± 0.1 | 0.2 ± 0.1 | 0.1 ± 0.1 | 0.1 ± 0.1 |
| 24:1n-9 | 0.4 ± 0.3 | 0.1 ± 0.1 † | 0.1 ± 0.1 ‡ | 0.4 ± 0.2 | 0.1 ± 0.1 | 0.1 ± 0.1 | 0.4 ± 0.3 | 0.1 ± 0.1 | 0.1 ± 0.1 | 0.4 ± 0.3 | 0.1 ± 0.1 | 0.1 ± 0.1 |
| 22:6n-3 (DHA) | 0.5 ± 0.3 | 0.5 ± 0.2 † | 0.3 ± 0.2 ‡ | 0.7 ± 0.3 | 0.4 ± 0.4 | 0.3 ± 0.2 | 0.5 ± 0.2 | 0.5 ± 0.1 | 0.2 ± 0.1 | 0.5 ± 0.2 | 0.4 ± 0.2 | 0.3 ± 0.2 |
| Total SFA | 35.7 ± 3.9 | 38.9 ± 4.1 † | 36.2 ± 4.7 ‡ | 36.1 ± 4.0 | 39.2 ± 3.8 | 36.9 ± 4.8 | 35.4 ± 3.9 | 41.0 ± 3.0 | 36.4 ± 3.9 | 35.0 ± 3.7 | 37.2 ± 4.8 | 34.5 ± 4.9 |
| Total MUFA | 40.7 ± 3.8 | 37.7 ± 4.3 † | 36.9 ± 4.1 | 43.1 ± 3.3 | 39.3 ± 3.0 | 38.3 ± 3.6 | 38.4 ± 4.1 | 34.7 ± 3.5 | 34.3 ± 4.5 | 39.8 ± 2.6 | 36.2 ± 4.8 | 36.4 ± 4.4 |
| MCFA | 6.8 ± 2.4 | 13.1 ± 3.3 | 11.0 ± 2.6 | 6.3 ± 2.3 | 12.1 ± 3.5 | 10.6 ± 2.8 | 7.0 ± 2.2 | 13.8 ± 2.2 | 11.2 ± 2.3 | 7.2 ± 2.4 | 13.1 ± 3.8 | 10.9 ± 2.6 |
| Total PUFA n-6 | 21.7 ± 3.6 | 21.6 ± 3.8 | 24.1 ± 5.0 | 18.3 ± 2.8 | 19.7 ± 3.4 | 21.1 ± 4.3 | 23.3 ± 3.6 | 22.5 ± 3.6 | 26.6 ± 3.9 | 22.8 ± 3.0 | 22.9 ± 3.9 | 25.3 ± 5.2 |
| Total PUFA n-3 | 1.4 ± 0.5 | 1.9 ± 0.7 | 1.9 ± 0.9 | 1.4 ± 0.4 | 1.5 ± 0.6 | 1.3 ± 0.6 | 1.4 ± 0.4 | 1.6 ± 0.7 | 1.9 ± 1.1 | 1.8 ± 0.4 | 2.1 ± 0.6 | 2.4 ± 0.8 |
| n-6 to n-3 ratio | 14.4 ± 3.7 | 11.8 ± 3.7 † | 12.5 ± 5.5 | 13.1 ± 3.7 | 13.1 ± 3.9 | 16.5 ± 5.6 | 16.6 ± 3.0 | 14.1 ± 3.9 | 13.8 ± 5.6 | 12.7 ± 3.8 | 10.9 ± 2.9 | 10.5 ± 4.0 |
| ARA to DHA ratio | 1.8 ± 0.7 | 1.6 ± 0.5 | 2.2 ± 0.9 ‡ | 1.3 ± 0.5 | 1.8 ± 0.6 | 1.9 ± 1.0 | 2.2 ± 0.7 | 1.6 ± 0.5 | 2.3 ± 0.8 | 1.8 ± 0.4 | 1.8 ± 0.5 | 1.9 ± 0.8 |
FA, Fatty acids; ARA, arachidonic; DHA, docosahexaenoic; SFA, Saturated FA; MUFA, mono-unsaturated FA; MCFA, medium-chain FA; PUFA, polyunsaturated FA. * Values are presented as median ± standard deviation (SD). Values within a row with a symbol indicate statistically significant differences. † p < 0.05 versus colostrum. ‡ p < 0.05 versus transitional milk.