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Objective: To determine the sodium concentration in cow milk available for sale and to estimate its consumption by infants up to 6 months of age. Methods: Sodium level was determined by flame emission spectrophotometry in eight different lots of five brands of liquid ultra-high temperature milk and three brands of powdered milk. To estimate sodium consumption via cow milk, orientations for exceptional situations when neither breastfeeding nor infant formula is possible were considered. Inferential statistics were performed and results were compared with critical parameters at a 5% significance level. Results: The mean sodium content per portion found in liquid milk (162.5 ± 16.2) mg/200 mL was higher than that in powdered milk (116.8 ± 3.0) mg/26 g. Estimated sodium consumption by infants through powdered milk varied from 149.8 to 224.7% of adequate intake, and via liquid milk can be more than 500% of the adequate intake, reaching 812.4% of it if dilution is not applied. Seven of the eight brands of milk studied had declared, on their labels, that the sodium content was 13--30% lower than that found in chemical analysis. Conclusion: Liquid and powdered whole cow milk have high sodium content, and the content per portion is higher in liquid milk than in powdered milk. The estimated consumption of sodium through these products can far exceed the adequate intake for infants from 0 to 6 months old, even when the recommended dilution and maximum daily volumes are followed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended infant feeding practices for HIV exposed infants is low in developing countries. There is no nationwide representative study was done in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the pooled prevalence of WHO-recommended infant feeding practices among HIV-positive mothers in Ethiopia.Methods: EMBASE, PubMed, Google Scholar, CINHAL, Web of Science, Cochrane library, and hand searches of references were extensively searched to find out the primary articles. This study was included in all primary articles published in peer review journals regarding the recommended infant feeding practices in Ethiopia. Reviewers were used a standardized Microsoft Excel format to extract the data and analyzed it with Stata 11 version software. The pooled prevalence of recommended infant feeding practices among HIV exposed infants was estimated by a random-effect model. The sources of variation between the studies were identified by the I 2 statistics test. Furthermore, the source of heterogeneity was checked by subgroup and meta-regression analyses. Sensitivity analysis was also carried out for included articles to identify extreme values that affect the outcome of pooled results.Results: A total of twenty-one articles were included in this study. The random effect pooled prevalence of WHO-recommended infant feeding practices in Ethiopia was 82.76% (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 75.4, 90.11) with the heterogeneity of I2 = 93.7 with a value of p < 0.001. The subgroup analysis result showed that the highest prevalence of WHO-recommended infant feeding practices was observed in the retrospective cohort study design, 89.45%, and the lowest prevalence was found in cross-sectional studies, 80.67%. Mothers who disclosed their HIV serostatus to their spouses OR = 2.88(2.27, 3.66) and attended antenatal care visits OR = 4.62(3.13, 6.83) were more likely to follow the WHO-recommended infant feeding practices than their counterparts.Conclusion: Two out of ten HIV exposed infants received mixed feeding in Ethiopia. Health professionals should support and counsel HIV positive mothers to disclose their HIV serostatus to their spouses and advertisements in general or community health workers can get this message out to encourage using antenatal care services during the pregnancy period were recommended to increase the adoption of WHO recommended infant feeding practices and decrease their infant's risk of morbidity, including HIV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the nutritional, morphometric and biochemical profiles of six (6) formulated instant weaning foods in comparison with a commercial weaning food (Nutrend) as positive control and the vital growers mesh as negative control. The six instant weaning foods were formulated from selected staple foods and protein supplements. Diets (A-C) were formulated from rice-lentil based and diets (D-F) from sweet potato-soybean based at respective ratios of 70:10, 60:20 and 50:30, and blended with groundnut, crayfish and smoked fish in varying quantity to make up 100 g. These were compared with Nutrend (G) and vital growers mash (H) serving as positive and negative controls, respectively. From the study, saponin contents for all formulated diets were within safe limit at levels <10%. Phytate contents for all diets were below acceptable level of 1%. The trypsin inhibitor showed compliant except for diet D that was higher than the normal 10%. Diets D-F had lower flavonoid contents (3.00, 2.95 and 2.80 g/100 g) than diets A-C (4.99, 4.61 and 4.99 g/100 g). In all, diet F compared favourably with the commercial weaning diet (G). The animal studies revealed that body-organ weights were proportionally satisfactory, except for diet H which was low (2.31 g weight gain). The biochemical parameters all fell within normal range and have good safety profile. Diet F formulated with 50 g sweet potato, 30 g soy bean, 5 g groundnut and 15 g fish meal showed the highest potential as favourable substitute for the commercial weaning foods for infants when compared with the positive control food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months of life. After this period, the energy and nutrients requirements of the infants are provided by complementary feeding in addition to the breast milk. This study was aimed to evaluate the nutrients profile of the jarred baby food according to Turkish Food Codex Labeling Directive. The study used 54 jarred baby foods from two hypermarkets with high sale capacities in Ankara/Turkey to analyze price information and their contents of energy and some nutrients based on label information. The products were categorized two groups (number of cereal based products 25; number of non-cereal based products 29). Data analysis was performed in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows. Most of the products (64.8%) were for babies' ≥ 6 months and 25.9% were for ≥ 4 months babies. The large of them (87%) did not contained added sugar. There was no statistically significant difference between the products in terms of the price/energy/dietary fiber/vitamin C (p > 0.05). The protein, total fat and saturated fatty acids of the cereal-based products was higher than the non-cereal based products (p < 0.05). The carbohydrates and sugar of the cereal based products were lower (p < 0.05). Additionally, 55.6% of jarred baby foods was organic. The prices of the organic products [median: 0.85 euros/100 g] was higher than the conventional products [median: 0.44 euros/100 g] (p < 0.05). When the products were evaluated according the health codes declared by the Turkish Food Codex Labeling Directive, the distribution of the products had as follows: 96.3% normal energy, 100% low-fat and low-saturated fat, 95.3% low dietary fiber, 100% low sodium, 14.8% protein source. These infant foods, which are easy to access, are not as miraculous as expected. The majority of them are grain-based and not protein source. It is necessary to make investigations about the contents of the jarred baby food and to raise the awareness of the consumers especially mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the results of the study of problematic issues of organisational-and-economic character concerning the provision of children with baby food products in Ukraine and European Union countries. It is established that the marketing feature of baby food products in Ukraine is its sales from pharmacies. It has been proved that the cost of baby food products in EU countries and in Ukraine have no price gradation depending on the degree of economic development of the country. The dynamics of development of the Ukrainian market of baby food products, as well as the dynamics of the cost of baby food products in Ukraine, depending on their dispensing place, have been analysed. It is established that the cost of baby food products is somewhat lower in pharmacies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study examined maternal language and prosody production during feeding (milk vs. solid foods) and playing with their infant compared to an adult-directed speech (ADS) baseline in 12 healthy full-term infants (6-13 months old). We recorded maternal language during 10 min of spontaneous speech across the four conditions. We further recorded maternal connected speech containing specific word targets, elicited through picture description, to attain prosodic measures. Results showed that mothers used significantly fewer verbs and more utterances per minute in the baseline condition compared to play or solid feeding conditions. Type token ratio was significantly higher during milk compared to play or solid feeding conditions and baseline was significantly higher than play. Vowel duration and peak fundamental frequency were significantly higher during play compared to ADS baseline. These findings suggest that maternal language and prosody changed across conditions, with feeding offering more lexical diversity than play. The most robust infant directed speech was observed during play and followed by the solid feeding condition, whereas it was not observed during the milk and ADS conditions. Identifying opportunities for maternal linguistic input is key to advancing infant development. These findings suggest that mealtime may provide such an opportunity for speech and language input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Extensive ongoing research on probiotics and infant formulas raises a number of safety questions. One concern is the potential influence of d-lactic acid-containing preparations on the health of infants and children. The aim of this review was to summarise the available knowledge on the ingestion of d-lactic acid-producing bacteria, acidified infant formulas and fermented infant formulas as a potential cause of paediatric d-lactic acidosis.Methods: A Medline database search was performed in July 2017, with no restrictions on the language, article type or publication date. The 1715 search results were screened for clinical trials, review articles, case series and case reports of relevance to the topic.Results: We identified five randomised controlled trials from 2005 to 2017 covering 544 healthy infants and some case reports and experimental studies. No clinically relevant adverse effects of d-lactic acid-producing probiotics and fermented infant formulas were described in healthy children. However, a harmless, subclinical accumulation of d-lactate was theoretically possible. The only known cases of paediatric d-lactic acidosis occurred in patients with short bowel syndrome or, historically, in infants fed with acidified formulas.Conclusion: Our main finding was that probiotics and fermented formulas did not cause d-lactic acidosis in healthy children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been an increasing realisation that young infants are exposed to elevated concentrations of the carcinogen inorganic arsenic, relative to adults. This is because many infant food products are rice based, and rice is ~10-fold elevated in inorganic arsenic compared to most other foods. The European Commission (EC) has acted on this concern setting stricter standards for infants, 100 μg of inorganic arsenic per kg of food (100 μg/kg), as compared to adults (200 μg/kg), for rice based foods, a law that was brought into place in 1st January 2016. Here we investigate how this law has impacted on inorganic arsenic in baby food products in the UK market, and compare the findings to previous baby food surveys taken before and just after the law came into place. We find that for a wide range of UK infant products that the new regulations are being adhered to, with all samples surveyed, being under 100 μg/kg inorganic arsenic. The prevalence of pure rice products had decreased in the UK, and there appears to be careful sourcing of the rice used in these products to ensure conformity with regulations. There has been an increased presence of mixed cereal products, with rice and maize as the main ingredient, appearing on the UK market, with varying rice contents for infant porridges, cakes and mueslis, with the latter being a relatively innovative product for infant foods. There was a highly significant correlation (P<0.0001) between rice content and inorganic arsenic concentration across all infant foods. When UK infant rice cakes, breakfast cereals and porridges were compare to their general, i.e. not labelled specifically for being for infant consumption, equivalent it was found that the adult foods generally exceeded the 100 μg/kg inorganic arsenic standard for infant foods. Thus, infants should not be given rice products not specifically labelled as being for them if a lower inorganic arsenic diet is to be maintained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The addition of desiccated beef liver to infant and young child complementary foods can be used to overcome nutrient deficits, however its acceptability is unknown. We conducted a series of studies to test the acceptability of complementary foods fortified with either powdered beef liver, beef meat, beef liver + meat or placebo among 96 Indonesian children aged 12 to 23 mo. This was achieved by determining liking of a single test food with added study powder, followed by a 2-wk home trial and focus group discussions to assess liking during repeated consumption of the study powders added to daily meals. The test food with added beef powders were well liked by mothers, with liking scores never falling below neutral on a 7-point scale. After home use, mothers reported that their children moderately liked their meals with added powder, with scores ranging between 3.3 and 3.5 on a 5-point scale. With the exception of lower liking for the combination beef liver + meat powder, there were no detectable differences in mothers' overall perception of child's liking between the placebo and any of the study powders. The low disappearance rate of the study powders during the home trial was a concern, with mothers reporting a strong smell and fishy odor as the major reason why children did not like their meals. Nonetheless, mothers declared they would continue using the powder on account of the nutritional value and perceived health benefits. Strategies are underway to minimize the level of fishy odor in the beef liver powder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc bioaccessibility from infant formula was estimated by in vitro methods (solubility and dialyzability) and size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) coupled to inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICPMS). Infant formula samples were first characterized in terms of Zn bound to lipids and proteins and Zn distribution in the aqueous soluble protein fraction. We found that Zn is not incorporated into the lipid fraction of the samples, being mainly associated with the protein fraction (around 100%). Fractionation of Zncontaining proteins in the soluble protein fraction was achieved by SEC-ICP-MS after performing protein extraction with a solution of 100 mM (pH 6.8) Tris-HCl. The percentages of zinc in the soluble protein fraction in the soy-based and lactose-free infant formula were very low, around 7 and 24%, respectively, whereas the content of Zn in the soluble protein fraction of milkbased formula was around 90%. By SEC-ICP-MS, we found that Zn is associated with low-molecular weight compounds (around 10 kDa) in all the infant formulas tested. The percentages of Zn estimated in the in vitro gastrointestinal digests of the infant formula ranged from 30 to 70% and from 1 to 10% for solubility and dialyzability assays, respectively. The dialyzability test resulted in lower than expected scores, as SEC-ICP-MS analysis of the gastrointestinal extracts revealed that Zn is bound to biomolecules with a molecular weight ranging from 1 to 7 kDa, which suggests that dialysis data should be interpreted with caution. Speciation studies are a valuable tool for establishing availability of nutrients and for validating data from dialyzable in vitro methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Complementary food supplements (CFSs) can enhance growth where stunting is common, but substitution for the usual diet may reduce observed benefits. Objective: We aimed to characterize dietary diversity from home foods in a CFS efficacy trial and determine whether supplementation reduced breastfeeding frequency or displaced home foods. Design: In a cluster-randomized controlled trial in rural Bangladesh, children (n = 5499) received, for 1 y starting at age 6 mo, periodic child feeding counseling for mothers (control) or counseling plus 1 of 4 CFSs fed as a daily snack. Breastfeeding status and past 24-h diet were assessed at enrollment and every 3 mo thereafter until 18 mo of age. A 7-food group dietary diversity score (DDS) was calculated from home foods only, and a DDS ≥4 constituted minimum dietary diversity (MDD). Results: Most children (97%) were breastfed through 18 mo of age, and 24-h breastfeeding frequency did not differ by supplementation group. Child dietary diversity was low; only 51% of children met the MDD by 18 mo. Rice, potatoes, and biscuits (cookies) were the most frequently consumed foods, whereas the legumes, dairy, eggs, and vitamin A-rich fruit and vegetable food groups were each consumed by <50% of children. The odds of meeting the MDD through the consumption of home foods were equal or greater in the supplemented groups compared with the control group at all ages. High socioeconomic status and any maternal education were associated with increased odds of MDD at age 18 mo, whereas child sex and household food security were not associated with MDD. Conclusions: In a setting where daily complementary food supplementation improved linear growth, there was no evidence that supplementation displaced breastfeeding or home foods, and the supplementation may have improved dietary diversity. Pathways by which supplementation with fortified foods may enhance dietary diversity, such as an improved appetite and increased body size, need elucidation. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01562379. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pursuant to Polish law, products for infants and young children constitute a special purpose food group, which is divided into three categories: infant formulae, follow-on formulae, and cereal-based foods and other baby foods. The ingredients lists for each product from every group are regulated by the regulation of the Minister of Public Health of November 22nd 2010. Aim of the study: An analysis of the contents of products for infants and young children commercially available in the Opole region. Material and methods: Food additives in 81 products were analysed, based on the contents provided by the producers. The food additives (categories of preparations) were used in accordance with the regulation on food additives and the regulation on special purpose food groups. However, some banned additives were treated as nutrients and sources of macroelements, in which case they were not listed as food additives. Results: The most commonly used source of calcium were the phosphate and carbonate salts. The hypoallergenic infant formula Nestle NAN 1 HA, Nestle NAN 2 HA and HUMANA 2 HA contained the fewest additives. Readymade meals, which constitute complementary foods, did not contain additives. Drinks and desserts contained only L-ascorbic acid. Conclusions: Regardless of the manufacturer, the analysed products contained only substances which comply with the prevailing Polish and EU law. The least additives were found in modified hypoallergenic milks: Nestle NAN 1 HA and NESTLE NAN 2 HA and Humana 2 HA. Drinks and dessert jars contained only L-ascorbic acid (E300), and oat cookies for children contained potassium bicarbonate (E501). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To objective of this study was to better understand the biological functions of breast milk proteins in relation to the growth and development of infants over the first six months of life. Breast milk samples from four individual women collected at seven time points in the first six months after delivery were analyzed by filter aided sample preparation and dimethyl labeling combined with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 247 and 200 milk serum proteins were identified and quantified, respectively. The milk serum proteome showed a high similarity (80% overlap) on the qualitative level between women and over lactation. The quantitative changes in milk serum proteins were mainly caused by three groups of proteins, enzymes, and transport and immunity proteins. Of these 21 significantly changed proteins, 30% were transport proteins, such as serum albumin and fatty acid binding protein, which are both involved in transporting nutrients to the infant. The decrease of the enzyme bile salt-activated lipase as well as the immunity proteins immunoglobulins and lactoferrin coincide with the gradual maturation of the digestive and immune system of infants. The human milk serum proteome didn't differ qualitatively but it did quantitatively, both between mothers and as lactation advanced. The changes of the breast milk serum proteome over lactation corresponded with the development of the digestive and immune system of infants. Biological significance Breast milk proteins provide nutrition, but also contribute to healthy development of infants. Despite the previously reported large number of identified breast milk proteins and their changes over lactation, less is known on the changes of these proteins in individual mothers. This study is the first to determine the qualitative and quantitative changes of milk proteome over lactation between individual mothers. The results indicate that the differences in the milk proteome between individual mothers are more related to the quantitative level than qualitative level. The correlation between the changes of milk proteins and the gradual maturation of the gastrointestinal tract and immune system in infants, contributes to a better understanding of the biological functions of human milk proteins for the growth and development of infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Dietary variety is defined as the number of different foods or food groups consumed over a given reference period, the consensus being that dietary variety and dietary quality are positively correlated. Recently there has been considerable interest in the association between infant dietary variety and atopic disease. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 8- to 27-month-old children from the Isle of Wight, UK, including two groups: a group of children consuming a cows' milk exclusion ( CME) diet and a control group of children consuming an unrestricted diet. Parents completed a validated food frequency questionnaire, from which dietary variety and consumption of food groups were calculated. Growth measurements were recorded. Results A total of 126 participants of mean age 13.0 months were recruited. In addition to the expected differences in dairy and soya consumption, the CME group consumed sweet foods 1.6 times less frequently, non-water drinks seven times less frequently (p < 0.05) and ready-made baby foods 15 times more frequently (p < 0.01) than the control group. Overall dietary variety was significantly lower in the CME group (p < 0.01) as was variety of meat and sweet foods consumed. There was a greater concern with healthy eating in the CME group (p < 0.05). Conclusions Children consuming an exclusion diet for cows' milk allergy have an overall less varied diet, including a less varied consumption of meat and sweet foods. Efforts should be made to ensure exclusion diets are as varied as possible to optimize nutritional intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Up-to-date, nonthermal technologies and combinations of them, in accordance with the “hurdle technology” concept, are being applied by different research groups in response to calls by the International Food and Human Health Organizations (ESPGHAN, 2004; FAO/WHO, 2006, 2008) for alternatives to thermal control of Cronobacter sakazakii in reconstituted powdered infant formula milk. This review highlights (i) current knowledge on the application of nonthermal technologies to control C. sakazakii in infant formula milk and (ii) the importance of the application of nonthermal technologies for the control of C. sakazakii as part of the development of strategies in the context of improving food safety and quality of this product. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: To determine the association between household food security and infant complementary feeding practices in rural Bangladesh.Design: Prospective, cohort study using structured home interviews during pregnancy and 3 and 9 months after delivery. We used two indicators of household food security at 3-months' follow-up: maternal Food Composition Score (FCS), calculated via the World Food Programme method, and an HHFS index created from an eleven-item food security questionnaire. Infant feeding practices were characterized using WHO definitions.Setting: Two rural sub-districts of Kishoreganj, Bangladesh.Subjects: Mother-child dyads (n 2073) who completed the 9-months' follow-up.Results: Complementary feeding was initiated at age ≤4 months for 7 %, at 5-6 months for 49 % and at ≥7 months for 44 % of infants. Based on 24 h dietary recall, 98 % of infants were still breast-feeding at age 9 months, and 16 % received ≥4 food groups and ≥4 meals (minimally acceptable diet) in addition to breast milk. Mothers' diet was more diverse than infants'. The odds of receiving a minimally acceptable diet for infants living in most food-secure households were three times those for infants living in least food-secure households (adjusted OR=3·0; 95 % CI 2·1, 4·3). Socio-economic status, maternal age, literacy, parity and infant sex were not associated with infant diet.Conclusions: HHFS and maternal FCS were significant predictors of subsequent infant feeding practices. Nevertheless, even the more food-secure households had poor infant diet. Interventions aimed at improving infant nutritional status need to focus on both complementary food provision and education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To adapt and evaluate a nutrient-based diet quality index (PANDiet) for UK young children and to determine the nutritional adequacy of their diets according to consumption of young child formula (YCF) and commercial infant foods (CIF).Design: Content and construct validity of the PANDiet were assessed by studying associations between the PANDiet and its components, energy intake, food intakes, and child and maternal characteristics. Four groups of children were defined according to their intake of YCF and CIF: (i) no consumption; (ii) consumption of YCF; (iii) consumption of CIF; and (iv) consumption of YCF and CIF. Child and maternal characteristics, PANDiet scores and food intakes of these four groups were compared.Setting: Secondary analysis of data from the UK Diet and Nutrition Survey of Infants and Young Children (DNSIYC, 2011).Subjects: Young children (n 1152) aged 12-18 months.Results: The PANDiet was adapted to the UK based on twenty-five nutrients. A lower PANDiet score was linked to lower intakes of YCF, CIF, vegetables and fruits. Determinants of having a lower score were being older, having siblings and having a younger mother with a lower educational level. Compared with children consuming neither YCF nor CIF, PANDiet scores were higher in children consuming CIF (+1·4), children consuming YCF (+7·2) and children consuming YCF and CIF (+7·8; all P<0·001).Conclusions: The PANDiet is a valid indicator of the nutrient adequacy of the diet of UK young children. Consuming CIF was not found to be associated with lower nutritional adequacy whereas consuming YCF was associated with higher nutritional adequacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A continuous pilot plant for liquid sterilization was used to compare ohmic heating and steam injection on liquid infant formula under the same conditions of pre-heating and holding. Samples were collected at different holding times and temperatures and analyzed for reactions of thermal degradation. Two substrates were measured: soluble proteins and vitamin C and different intermediate or advanced products of Maillard reaction were monitored: furosine, carboxymethyllysine (CML), FAST index (Fluorescence of Advanced Maillard products and Soluble Tryptophan) and color ( ΔL* , Δa* and Δb* ). Pseudo-zero order kinetics was established for the Maillard products or global markers and Arrhenius parameters could be calculated. Equivalent markers contents were obtained after ohmic heating and steam injection showing equivalent quality of the infant formula for both sterilization technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice and its derivatives are important source of essential and non-essential elements. Essential elements as cobalt (Co) and selenium (Se) are vital for human homeostasis. However, non-essential elements such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) may be present in rice-based food and consequently, people can be exposed—especially children and the celiac population. This study aimed to determine essentials and non-essentials elements in rice-based products and baby food and also to evaluate nutritional risk by estimating the daily intake of non-essential elements. Regarding essential elements, Co and Se presented the highest concentrations in rice flour (56 μg kg −1 ) and porridge (254 μg kg −1 ), respectively. For non-essential elements, the highest concentrations of As, Cd and Pb were 104 μg kg −1 (porridge), 16 μg kg −1 (flour), and 188 μg kg −1 (bread), respectively. Total As concentration in Brazilian rice-based baby food was <29 μg kg −1 . However, As-speciation revealed inorganic-As (i-As) as the main specie. The highest estimated daily intake of Cd, Pb and i-As were 1.37 (rice-based baby food); 10.39 (pasta); and 3.34 (pasta) μg d −1 , respectively. Therefore, continuous food monitoring for nutritional and toxicological purpose is necessary, especially concerning these particular populations and discussions for maximum levels of non-essential elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional fermented millet gruel is frequently eaten by children in Burkina Faso as a complementary food or for breakfast. The effects of gruel energy density and feeding style on intakes (amounts and energy) were assessed in children in Ouagadougou. Twenty-three young children (11 infants and 12 toddlers) were given two meals of gruel per day for two periods of 11 consecutive days, first, the traditional fermented gruel (TFG), and second, an improved high energy density fermented gruel (IFG). On the first 10 days of each period, the children were fed as usual, while on the 11th day, the mothers were asked to use encouraging feeding. Intakes of TFG and IFG were also measured once a day for nine days in 25 preschoolers (2-5 years-old). After adjustment for the subject effect, IFG intakes did not significantly differ from TFG intakes in the groups of infants and toddlers, meaning there was a significant increase in energy intakes, which almost doubled. Encouraging feeding increased TFG intakes in both age groups, but IFG intakes only increased in toddlers, whose energy intake tripled compared to that from TFG with the usual feeding style. In preschoolers, mean IFG intakes were lower than TFG intakes and there were no increase in mean energy intakes. Improving fermented gruel and training the mothers to encourage their young children during feeding are two possible strategies to improve food intakes, and hence to better satisfy the children's nutritional needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the association between a measure of child diet diversity, derived from dietary recall data obtained from the mother, and child length. It mentions the global nutrition community's attention need to focus on both the quality and the quantity of foods provided to infants and young children; and also mentions the data from a typical qualitative food recall do not allow for analysis of quantity of consumption.

Background: Sialyllactose is a key human milk oligosaccharide and consists of sialic acid (SA) bound to a lactose molecule. Breastfed infants have increased accumulation of ganglioside-bound SA compared with formula-fed infants.Objective: This study aimed to determine whether different isomers of sialyllactose enrich brain SA and modulate the microbiome of developing neonatal piglets.Methods: Day-old pigs were randomly allocated to 6 diets (control, 2 or 4 g 3'-sialyllactose/L, 2 or 4 g 6'-sialyllactose/L, or 2 g polydextrose/L + 2 g galacto-oligosaccharides/L; n = 9) and fed 3 times/d for 21 d. Pigs were killed, and the left hemisphere of the brain was dissected into cerebrum, cerebellum, corpus callosum, and hippocampus regions. SA was determined by using a modified periodic acid-resorcinol reaction. Microbial composition of the intestinal digesta was analyzed with the use of 16S ribosomal DNA Illumina sequencing.Results: Dietary sialyllactose did not affect feed intake, growth, or fecal consistency. Ganglioside-bound SA in the corpus callosum of pigs fed 2 g 3'-sialyllactose or 6'-sialyllactose/L increased by 15% in comparison with control pigs. Similarly, ganglioside-bound SA in the cerebellum of pigs fed 4 g 3'-sialyllactose/L increased by 10% in comparison with control pigs. Significant (P < 0.05, Adonis Test) microbiome differences were observed in the proximal and distal colons of piglets fed control compared with 4-g 6'-sialyllactose/L formulas. Differences were attributed to an increase in bacterial taxa belonging to species Collinsella aerofaciens (phylum Actinobacteria), genera Ruminococcus and Faecalibacterium (phylum Firmicutes), and genus Prevotella (phylum Bacteroidetes) (Wald test, P < 0.05, DeSeq2) compared with piglets fed the control diet. Taxa belonging to families Enterobacteriaceae and Enterococcaceae (phylum Proteobacteria), as well as taxa belonging to family Lachnospiraceae and order Lactobacillales (phylum Firmicutes), were 2.3- and 4-fold lower, respectively, in 6'-sialyllactose-fed piglets than in controls.Conclusions: Supplementation of formula with 3'- or 6'-sialyllactose can enrich ganglioside SA in the brain and modulate gut-associated microbiota in neonatal pigs. We propose 2 potential routes by which sialyllactose may positively affect the neonate: serving as a source of SA for neurologic development and promoting beneficial microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Low intakes of good-quality complementary foods (CFs) contribute to undernutrition and consequently negatively affect health, growth, and development. Lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNSs) are designed to ensure dietary adequacy in micronutrients and essential fatty acids and to provide some energy and high-quality protein. In populations in which acute energy deficiency is rare, the dose-dependent effect of LNSs on CF intakes is unknown.Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the difference in energy and macronutrient intakes from CF between a control (no supplement) group and 3 groups that received 10, 20, or 40 g LNS/d.Methods: We collected repeated interactive 24-h dietary recalls from caregivers of rural Malawian 9- to 10-mo-old infants (n = 748) to estimate dietary intakes (LNS and all non-breast-milk foods) of energy and macronutrients and their dietary patterns. All infants were participating in a 12-mo randomized controlled trial to investigate the efficacy of various doses of LNS for preventing undernutrition.Results: Dietary energy intakes were significantly higher among infants in the LNS intervention groups than in the control group (396, 406, and 388 kcal/d in the 10-, 20-, and 40-g LNS/d groups, respectively, compared with 345 kcal/d; each pairwise P < 0.05), but no significant differences were found in energy intakes between groups who were administered the different LNS doses (10 g LNS/d compared with 20 g LNS/d: P = 0.72; 10 g LNS/d compared with 40 g LNS/d: P ≥ 0.67; 20 g LNS/d compared with 40 g LNS/d: P = 0.94). Intakes of protein and fat were significantly higher in the LNS intervention groups than in the control group. No significant intergroup differences were found in median intakes of energy from non-LNS CFs (357, 347, and 296 kcal/d in the 10-, 20-, and 40-g LNS/d groups, respectively, compared with 345 kcal/d in the control group; P = 0.11).Conclusion: LNSs in doses of 10-40 g/d increase intakes of energy and macronutrients among 9- to 10-mo-old Malawian infants, without displacing locally available CFs. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00945698. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the absence of human breast milk, infant and follow-on formulas can still promote efficient growth and development. However, infant formulas can differ in their nutritional value.Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the effects of human milk (HM) and infant formulas in human infants and a weanling rat model.Methods: In a 3 wk clinical randomized controlled trial, babies (7- to 90-d-old, male-to-female ratio 1:1) were exclusively breastfed (BF), exclusively fed Synlait Pure Canterbury Stage 1 infant formula (SPCF), or fed assorted standard formulas (SFs) purchased by their parents. We also compared feeding HM or SPCF in weanling male Sprague-Dawley rats for 28 d. We examined the effects of HM and infant formulas on fecal short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and bacterial composition in human infants, and intestinal SCFAs, the microbiota, and host physiology in weanling rats.Results: Fecal Bifidobacterium concentrations (mean log copy number ± SEM) were higher (P = 0.003) in BF (8.17 ± 0.3) and SPCF-fed infants (8.29 ± 0.3) compared with those fed the SFs (6.94 ± 0.3). Fecal acetic acid (mean ± SEM) was also higher (P = 0.007) in the BF (5.5 ± 0.2 mg/g) and SPCF (5.3 ± 2.4 mg/g) groups compared with SF-fed babies (4.3 ± 0.2 mg/g). Colonic SCFAs did not differ between HM- and SPCF-fed rats. However, cecal acetic acid concentrations were higher (P = 0.001) in rats fed HM (42.6 ± 2.6 mg/g) than in those fed SPCF (30.6 ± 0.8 mg/g). Cecal transcriptome, proteome, and plasma metabolite analyses indicated that the growth and maturation of intestinal tissue was more highly promoted by HM than SPCF.Conclusions: Fecal bacterial composition and SCFA concentrations were similar in babies fed SPCF or HM. However, results from the rat study showed substantial differences in host physiology between rats fed HM and SPCF. This trial was registered at Shanghai Jiào tong University School of Medicine as XHEC-C-2012-024. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein content of any source is classically determined through the analysis of its nitrogen content done for more 100 years by the Kjeldahl method, and the obtained result is multiplied by a number named nitrogen conversion factor (NCF). The value of NCF is related to the amino acid composition of the protein source and to the eventual presence of side groups covalently bound to some amino acids of the protein chain. Consequently, the value of NCF cannot be identical for all sources of food proteins. The aim of this paper is to review the available knowledge on the two allowed protein sources for infant food formulas, milk and soybean, in order to bring the right scientific basis which should be used for the revision of both European legislation and Codex Standard for Infant Formulas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Studies on infant dietary intake do not generally focus on the types of liquids consumed. Objective: To document by age and breastfeeding status, the types of liquids present in the diet of Mexican children under 1 year of age (< 1 y) who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2012 (ENSANUT-2012). Methods: Analysis of the infant < 1 y feeding practices from the ENSANUT-2012 survey in non-breastfed (non-BF) and breastfed (BF) infants by status quo for the consumption of liquids grouped in: water, formula, fortified LICONSA milk, nutritive liquids (NL; thin cereal-based gruel with water or milk and coffee with milk) and non-nutritive liquids (non-NL) as sugared water, water-based drinks, tea, beans or chicken broth, aguamiel and coffee. In this infants < 1 y we analyzed the not grouped consumption of liquids in the first three days of life (newborns) from the mother's recall. Percentage and confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated adjusting for survey design. Statistical differences were analyzed by Z test. Results: We observed a high consumption of human milk followed by formula (56.7%) and water (51.1%) in infants under 6 months of age (< 6 mo). The proportion of non-BF infants consuming non-NL was higher than for BF infants (p < 0.05). More than 60% of older infants (6 mo and < 1 y) consumed formula and were non-BF. In newborns formula consumption was predominant, followed by tea or infusion and water. Conclusions: Non-breast milk liquids are present undesirably in Mexican infants' diet and non-NL are consumed earlier than NL, revealing inadequate early dietary practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Infant and young child feeding practices directly affect the nutritional status of children under two years of age and, ultimately, impact child survival. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the WHO infant and child feeding indicators in a rural area of Ludhiana, Punjab, India. Methods: A community based cross sectional study was conducted in fifteen villages of Ludhiana district under rural health training centre of Department of Community Medicine, Dayanand Medical College & Hospital, Ludhiana, Punjab. The data was obtained from mothers/primary caregivers of 813 living children 0-23 months of age group and information about seven core and three optional WHO infant and young child feeding indicators was collected using WHO questionnaire. Prevalence estimates with 95% confidence interval were calculated. A χ2 test and Odds Ratio (OR) with 95% CI was calculated wherever required. Results: Only 56.7% of infants were put to breast within one hour of birth, while three fourths of infants younger than 6 months were exclusively breastfed. About seventy percent of children aged 12-15 months and 54.7% of children 20-23 months continued breastfeeding at 1 & 2 years respectively. Almost all the children born in the last 23 months were ever breastfed. Nearly ninety percent of infants 6-8 months of age were fed with complimentary foods at the recommended daily frequency. Conclusion: To improve breastfeeding practices, health education needs to be strengthened for target population having sub-optimal b reastfeeding indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) was asked to deliver an opinion on 2′- O-fucosyllactose as a novel food ingredient (NFI) submitted pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 258/97 of the European Parliament and of the Council, taking into account the comments and objections of a scientific nature raised by Member States. 2′- O-fucosyllactose (2′-FL) is a synthetic trisaccharide, which is intended to be used in infant and follow-on formulae, foods for special medical purposes for infants and young children, and other foods for infants and young children, as well as in foods or food supplements for adults. The information provided on the potential mutagenicity of 2′-FL does not raise safety concerns as regards the genotoxicity of this NFI. Based on the observations from a sub-chronic 90-day toxicity study in rats, the Panel considers that the no observed adverse effect level is 2 000 mg/kg body weight per day. The applicant provided a double-blind, randomised, controlled clinical trial on the effects of 2'-FL consumed in combination with another oligosaccharide (lacto- N-neotetraose (LNnT)) in infants. The Panel concludes that 2'-FL is safe for infants (up to one year of age) when added to infant and follow-on formulae, in combination with LNnT, at concentrations up to 1.2 g/L of 2'-FL and up to 0.6 g/L of LNnT, at a ratio of 2:1 in the reconstituted formulae; is safe for young children (older than one year of age) when added to follow-on and young-child formulae, at concentrations up to 1.2 g/L of 2'-FL (alone or in combination with LNnT, at concentrations up to 0.6 g/L, at a ratio of 2:1). The Panel also concludes that 2'-FL is safe when added to other foods at the uses and use levels proposed by the applicant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The World Health Organization ( WHO) recommends that both breast-fed and non-breast-fed children are fed micronutrient fortified complementary foods designed to meet their high nutrient requirements from aged 6 to 23 months of age. This paper summarises the steps recommended by WHO/ FAO to identify the country-specific micronutrient shortfalls in complementary diets and establish desirable levels of bioavailable fortificants for centrally processed plant-based complementary foods for infant and young child feeding. The goal of the WHO/ FAO guidelines is to achieve a desirably low prevalence of inadequate micronutrient intakes in the target group whilst simultaneously ensuring minimal risk of excessive intakes. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to determine the current levels of nitrates in baby foods marketed in Lisbon, Portugal to estimate the toxicological risk associated with their intake. The nitrate content was determined in bottled baby foods of four varieties: vegetable-based foods, meat-based foods, fish-based foods, and fruit-based foods. A total of 39 samples were analyzed over the period 2010-2011. Average and median levels of nitrate in baby foods were lower than the maximum limits established by European Union legislation (200 mg kg-1). Median nitrate values in baby foods were 61, 30, 39, and 15 mg kg-1 w/w for vegetable-based baby foods, meat-based baby foods, fish-based baby foods, and fruit-based baby foods, respectively. The estimated nitrate daily intake through bottled baby foods for infants indicate that individually, these foods are not able to induce nitrate toxicity in the children population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts related to European food and feed law including the acceptance of Stevia-based sugar substitute products by consumers, the adulteration of food for financial advantage and the commercial baby food in Spain.

Copyright of Acta Pediátrica Española is the property of Ediciones Mayo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: To identify the age of introduction of petit suisse cheese and instant noodles in the diet of infants attending nurseries of public day care centers and to compare the nutritional composition of these foods with the healthy recommended diet (breast milk and salt meal) for this age, in order to estimate nutritional errors. Methods: Cross-sectional study of 366 children (from nine to 36 months old) who attended day care centers, whose mothers were interviewed about the age of introduction of those foods. The means of the nutrients indicated on the labels of the most consumed brands were considered. For the calculation of the percent composition of breast milk and salt meal, Tables of Food Composition were used. To assess the nutritional adequacy, we used the Dietary Reference Intakes by age group. The percentage of adequacy evaluation of the petit suisse cheese and the instant noodles nutritional compositions was made by comparing them with those of the human milk and the salt meal, respectively. Results: The petit suisse cheese and the instant noodles were consumed by 89.6 and 65.3% of the children in the first year of life. The percentages of adequacy for carbohydrates were more than twice and the percentages for sodium were 20 times higher than those found in the recommended foods. Conclusions: Both industrialized products are inappropriate for infants, emphasizing the need for adoption of norms that can inform health professionals, educators and parents about the risks of consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims Health professionals are frequently asked to advise on aspects of complementary feeding. This study aimed to describe the types of commercial infant foods available in the UK and provide an overview of their taste, texture and nutritional content in terms of energy, protein, carbohydrates, fat, sugar, iron, sodium and calcium. Method All infant foods produced by four main UK manufacturers and two more specialist suppliers were identified during October 2010-February 2011. Nutritional information for each product was collected from manufacturers' websites, products in store and via direct email enquiry. Results Of the 479 products identified in this study 364 (79%) were ready-made spoonable foods; 44% (201) were aimed at infants from 4 months, and 65% of these were sweet foods. The mean (SD) energy content of ready-made spoonable foods was 282 (59) kJ per 100 g, almost identical to breast milk (283(16) kJ per 100 g). Similar spoonable family foods were more nutrient dense than commercial foods. Commercial finger foods were more energy dense, but had very high sugar content. Conclusions The UK infant food market mainly supplies sweet, soft, spoonable foods targeted from age 4 months. The majority of products had energy content similar to breast milk and would not serve the intended purpose of enhancing the nutrient density and diversity of taste and texture in infants' diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coeliac disease (CD) affects about 1% of the general population. Information concerning gluten intake in the general population is scarce. In particular, variation in gluten intake during the complementary feeding period may be an independent risk factor in CD pathogenesis. We determined the intake of gluten from wheat, barley, rye and oats in a cross-sectional National Danish Survey of Dietary Habits among Infants and Young Children (2006-2007). The study population comprised a random sample of 1743 children aged 6-36 months, recruited from the National Danish Civil Registry. The protein contents from wheat, rye, barley and oats were found in the National Danish Food Composition Table, and multiplied with the amounts in the recipes. The amounts of gluten were calculated as the amount of cereal protein × 0·80 for wheat and oats, ×0·65 for rye and ×0·50 for barley. Dietary intake was recorded daily for seven consecutive days in pre-coded food records supplemented with open-answer possibilities. Gluten intake increased with age (P < 0·0001). Oats were introduced first, rapidly outpaced by wheat, the intake of which continued to increase with age, whereas oats started to decrease at 12 months. Boys had a higher intake of energy (P = 0·0001) and all types of gluten, except for barley (P = 0·87). In 8-10-month-old (P < 0·0001) and 10-12-month-old (P = 0·007), but not in 6-8-month-old infants (P = 0·331), non-breast-fed infants had higher total gluten intake than partially breast-fed infants. In conclusion, this study presents representative population-based data on gluten intake in Danish infants and young children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article validates the adherence of infant food products marketed in India and Malaysia to their national regulation and its implications on oral health of infants from dental perspective. For the assessment purpose, Infant milk substitutes and infant formulae that are marketed in both the countries were analyzed for: a) Nutrition Labeling b) Health Claims c) Additional required labels. d) Special Instructions. A qualitative and quantitative evaluation of 15 Indian and 19 Malaysian infant food products marketed were evaluated using non-experimental cross-sectional descriptive design. It was found that infant food products were considerably far in its proximity to the regulations of their country and lacked vital instructions / labeling required to maintain Infant oral hygiene and health. It was concluded that inspite of the timely amendments made in the regulations for marketing infant formula foods, there was stretching of rules from the manufacturing companies. Regulatory rigidity in marketing infant food products to safeguard oral as well as general health of infants is required. Infant dental health and hygiene was not given considerable importance by the governing bodies in both the developing nation. This emphasizes dental professionals to create awareness and educate the parents regarding Infant oral health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Brasileira em Promoção da Saúde is the property of Revista Brasileira em Promocao da Saude and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Brasileira em Promoção da Saúde is the property of Revista Brasileira em Promocao da Saude and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

ObjectiveThe WHO/UNICEF Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is an effective strategy to increase breast-feeding exclusivity and duration but many countries have been slow to implement it. The present paper describes the development of a computer-based instrument that measures policies and practices outlined in the BFHI.DesignThe tool uses clinical staff/managers’ and pregnant women/mothers’ opinions as well as maternity unit observations to assess compliance with the BFHI's Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding (Ten Steps) and the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (Code) by measuring the extent of implementation of two to fourteen indicators for each step and the Code. Composite scores are used to summarize results.SettingExamples of results from a 2007 assessment performed in nine hospitals in the province of Québec are presented to illustrate the type of information returned to individual hospitals and health authorities.SubjectsParticipants included nine to fifteen staff/managers per hospital randomly selected among those present during the interviewer-observer's 12 h hospital visit and nine to forty-five breast-feeding mothers per hospital telephoned at home after being randomly selected from birth certificates.ResultsThe Ten Steps Global Compliance Score for the nine hospitals varied between 2·87 and 6·51 (range 0–10, mean 5·06) whereas the Code Global Compliance Score varied between 0·58 and 1 (range 0–1, mean 0·83). Instrument development, examples of assessment results and potential applications are discussed.ConclusionsA methodology to measure BFHI compliance may help support the implementation of this effective intervention and contribute to improved maternal and child health. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The complementary feeding period is an important stage of child development. The study aim was to develop an index reflecting the degree of adherence to complementary feeding guidelines, evaluate its convergent validity, and explore associations with socio-demographic factors and dietary pattern scores in childhood. Data were analyzed from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (n = 6065) using parent-completed dietary questionnaires at 6 mo of age, socio-demographic information, and dietary patterns derived by principal component analysis at age 3 y. The Complementary Feeding Utility Index (CFUI) consists of 14 components: breastfeeding duration, feeding to appetite, timing of introduction to solids, exposure to iron-rich cereals, fruit and vegetable intake, exposure to high-fat/-salt/-sugar foods including sugary drinks, food texture, and meal/snack frequency. Regression analyses were undertaken to investigate associations between index scores, socio-demographic factors, food and nutrient intakes, and dietary pattern scores at age 3 y. Milk and food intake at 6 mo and nutrient intake at 8 mo of age varied across quintiles of index score in largely the expected directions. Associations were found among index score, maternal age, education, social class, maternal smoking history, and prepregnancy BMI. After adjustment for socio-demographic factors, the index score was associated with "processed" [β = -0.234 (95% CI = -0.260, -0.209)] and "healthy" [β = 0.185 (95% CI = 0.155, 0.215)] dietary pattern scores at age 3 y. The CFUI is able to discriminate across food intake, nutrient intake, and socio-demographic factors and is associated with later dietary patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thickened infant formula is widely used as a first-line treatment for gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) in infants. The use thereof remains controversial, and conflicting evidence exists with regards to its efficiency. The safety of anti-reflux formula has been proven, with only a few adverse effects reported, making it safe for infants with mild symptoms of reflux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which examines the cardiovascular effects of exclusive breastfeeding in early childhood. Information about the subjects and methods used are offered, along with a discussion on the early determinants of cardiovascular disease risk. Result of the study reveals that the choice of infant feeding influences the vascular system in early childhood, suggesting a relation between duration of exclusive breastfeeding in infancy to properties of the carotid arterial wall.

The article presents a study which examines the appropriate infant feeding practices (IFP) for infants and children. A method was performed to evaluate the effects of feeding recommendation on infants and children in Banladesh. The results were outlined and concluded that the results provide evidence for the positive effect of infant feeding pattern on the growth of infants and young children.

The article focuses on the application of complementary feeding to reduce and prevent morbidity and mortality in children. Topics discussed include factors to reduce mortality of children include exclusive breastfeeding for six months, complementary feeding practices, and zinc and vitamin A supplementation.

This study evaluates the need of vitamin E supplementation in very-low-birth-weight infants by long-term follow-up of plasma vitamin E status during the first 15 mo of life, with two different levels of supplementation. The subjects were 51 newborn infants with birth weights ≤ 1520 g. During hospitalization the infants were fed human milk. On the third day of life oral vitamin E supplementation of ≤ 10 mg/d was started in all infants. In addition, 23 infants selected at random were given intramuscular vitamin E (20 mg/kg/d) during the first 3 d. The data indicate that the 10 mg/d supplement resulted in an adequate plasma concentration of vitamin E. After cessation of supplementation at age 3 mo, the risk of low plasma vitamin E levels increased. Although intramuscular administration resulted in long-lasting increments in mean plasma vitamin E values, some later levels in these infants were marginal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a research guidelines on the use for vitamins, trace elements, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus in children and infants receiving total parental nutrition by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1972. Topics discussed include adult and pediatric nutritional formulations, the methods of separation of water soluble vitamins from lipid-soluble vitamins and trace-mineral vitamins. Other topics include low-birth weight infant nutritional management.