Lipids contribute most of the energy that infants need for proper nutrition and development. Our interest is to produce infant formula fat analogs that mimic the breast milk fatty acid composition. We used lipases to produce structured lipids (SLs) that resemble human milk fat (HMF) while containing functional and physiologically important fatty acids. The HMF analogs were enzymatically prepared using different substrates and esterification methods. Acidolysis and interesterification reactions catalyzed by sn-1,3 specific and non-specific lipases were employed. The SL products can serve as infant formula fat analogs or as a delivery route for nutraceutical lipids intended for normal humans and pregnant women. The SLs have high sn-2 palmitic acid content and comparable fatty acid composition to HMF. Physiologically important fatty acids such as stearidonic (SDA), eicopentaenoic (EPA), docosahexaenoic (DHA), gamma-linolenic (GLA), arachidonic (ARA), and oleic acids, were important components of the fat analogs fatty acid profiles. Both DHA and ARA are important in brain development and cognitive functions of the infant. Microencapsulation using Maillard reaction products as encapsulants was employed to deliver SLs into infant formula system. Use of HMF analogs compared to vegetable oil blends in infant formula formulations should provide better absorption of fatty acids and calcium. This enhanced absorption is due to the difference in the positional distribution of fatty acids in the triacylglycerols.
Prof. Casimir C. Akoh cakoh@uga.edu
