Location: Obesity and Metabolism Research
Project Number: 2032-51530-025-031-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jan 1, 2017
End Date: Sep 1, 2021
Objective:
To develop and apply methods for the efficient, accurate measurement of vitamins and minerals in human milk samples: 1) from ARS studies; 2) from collaborators to compare milk composition in several countries; 3) to complete ARS studies of valid methods for milk collection and sampling.
Approach:
Methods have been developed for the simultaneous analysis of B-vitamins by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and of fat soluble vitamins by high pressure liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FD), and minerals by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). These methods will be expanded to include choline and iodine. Existing milk samples will be analyzed that have been collected by the Western Human Nutrition Center and collaborators in various countries. The data will be presented at national and international meetings, provide the basis for a future research proposal to develop Reference Values for micronutrients in human milk, and serve as a guide to policies that support adequate maternal micronutrient status during lactation.
