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View related articlesView Crossmark data Citing articles: 7 View citing articles Assessment of thiamine content in some dairy products and rice milk Valoración del contenido de tiamina en algunos productos lácteos y en la leche de arroz

Data on the physical properties of cow milk and infant formulas are important since they indicate the differences in physicochemical and rheological characteristics and compatibility with natural breast milk. This fact is important not only for quality control but also for the use of these commercial products as infant diet supplements or as complete breast milk substitutes. This study was undertaken to determine refractive index, surface tension, pH, electrical conductivity, viscosity and titratable acidity of the UHT cow milk, starter infant formulas and breast milk of Serbian mothers in order to compare commercial milk formulations with natural human milk. The paper also presents the measured data of some physical parameters of human milk about which there is little information in the literature. It has been also demonstrated how these parameters were changed by freezing and prolonged storage of breast milk.In this study, 8 commercial cow milks, 6 starter infant formulas and 15 different samples of colostrum, transition and mature breast milk were included. The titratable acidity, pH, electrical conductivity, refractive index, viscosity and surface tension were measured by using standardized techniques. It has been found that infant formulas available on the Serbian market differ in physicochemical parameters compared to breast milk. Regarding these parameters, none of the analyzed formulas fully corresponded to breast milk. It has been also shown that measurement of physical parameters is simple and inexpensive way to monitor the milk shelf-life which is important for human milk banks.

Background/aim: This study was undertaken to determine the changes and relationships between some important milk constituents as well as physical, rheological, and biochemical parameters of milk obtained from Serbian breastfeeding mothers. Materials and methods: Physicochemical and biochemical parameters and the concentrations of vitamins, uric acid, and minerals were determined during the three periods of lactation covering colostrum, transitional, and mature milk collected from 67 mothers who had a term-pregnancy. Results: Large interindividual variations regarding many parameters were found between mothers at the same period of lactation, but the average values were mostly in the expected and recommended ranges. For some parameters, our values are quite different in relation to the milk of women from other countries or data reported by other authors. Conclusion: Differences in vitamin and mineral contents and physicochemical and rheological characteristics of milk obtained by Serbian breastfeeding mothers compared to that of mothers from other parts of the world have been found. This paper presents the measured data of some physical parameters of human milk about which there is little information in the literature.

Milk contains plenty of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant components that probably account for the vital antioxidant protection of the infants at early stages of life against the development of complications induced by oxygen free radicals. Indigenous milk enzymes play a key role in regulating lactogenesis, including active involution of mammary gland. Moreover, they are essential constituents of antioxidation and the innate immune system of milk. Among antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase, catalase and selenium-containing glutathione peroxidase have been demonstrated in human milk. Mainly, the enzyme content of colostrum is higher than that in corresponding mature milk. Beside lipophilic antioxidant in human milk, tocopherols, carotenoids and vitamin A are of great interest. Those components demonstrate the highest levels in colostrum and decline during early lactation, despite the fact that total lipids increase. The complete list of active antioxidant components in human milk is not yet known.This review reports the main findings of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, as well as antioxidant capacity of human milk. Synergism of action of several antioxidants helps to eliminate free radicals in newborns. Bearing in mind that milk contains a number of antioxidants, many reactions are possible and it is difficult to define the exact contribution and function of each antioxidant. Besides qualitative and quantitative analysis of human milk antioxidants, the measurement of total antioxidant capacity could be a useful tool for examination of this dynamic, complex fluid. R e v i e w a r t i c l e I NT ROD U CT I ONReactive oxygen species (ROS) are chemically reactive molecules containing oxygen. They are either radicals that contain at least one unpaired electron or reactive non-radical compounds derived from radicals, capable of oxidizing biomolecules and able to damage all biological macromolecules (1, 2). These ROS are normally produced in living organisms at low but measurable concentrations, and may be beneficial or even crucial in processes such as intracellular signalling and defence against microorganisms. Also, ROS are involved in the cell growth, differentiation, progression, and death (3).Cells which use oxygen and consequently ROS have to evolve complex antioxidant defence systems to neutralize ROS and protect themselves against free radical damaging (4). When the production of ROS exceeds the capacity of the body's antioxidant defence to detoxify them, a condition known as oxidative stress occurs. High concentrations of ROS can damage all major cellular constituents such as lipids (peroxidation of unsaturated fatty acids in membranes), proteins (denaturation), carbohydrates and nucleic acids, which leads to functional impairment (5, 6).At birth, the newborn is exposed to a relatively hyperoxic extrauterine environment caused by an increased oxygen bioavailability with greatly enhanced generation of ROS. As a result, human infant is under oxidative stress due to the difficulty of adapting...