Evaluation of triacylglycerol composition in commercial infant formulas on the Chinese market: A comparative study based on fat source and stage

Triacylglycerol (TAG) composition in 180 commercial infant, follow-on and growing-up formulas with different fat sources (plant oil, cow's milk and goat's milk) were analyzed and compared with mature human milk (MHM). TAGs in formulas were greatly affected by fat source. Formulas contained higher proportions of TAGs with short-chain/medium-chain saturated fatty acids, OOO and acyl carbon number (ACN) 54, and lower proportions of ACN 52 than MHM. There were significant differences in the content and stereochemical structure of OPL and OPO between formulas and MHM. Although there were no significant differences in the OPO contents between formulas with OPO and MHM, it is not enough to reach the abundance of palmitic acid (PA) at the sn-2 position in MHM. These results indicated that it is more suitable for Chinese infants to supplement the formulas with not only OPO, but also other TAGs containing PA mainly at the sn-2 position (such as OPL).