Differential analysis of milk fatty acids in human, Saanen goat, Holstein cow, and Jersey cow milk at different stages of lactation

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the differences in fatty acid composition of milk from Holstein cows, Jersey cows, Saanen goats, and humans at different lactation period and to find possible milk that is more suitable as a base for infant milk powder. Methods: Human breast milk, Saanen milk, Holstein milk, and Jersey milk were collected at different lactation stages. Gas chromatography was used to determine the fatty acid composition of breast milk, Saanen goat's milk, Holstein cow's milk and Jersey cows at different stages of lactation. Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between different fatty acids. Results: The results show that the types and relative contents of fatty acids varied among the different varieties of milk. The main fatty acids in breast milk are palmitic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid, which oleic acid is the most abundant. Saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) differed between lactation stages, while polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) did not differ significantly. Cow's milk and goat's milk were mainly dominated by SFAs, and Chinese Holstein cow's milk had the highest SFA content (72.54%). Caprylic and capric acids in SFAs were the characteristic fatty acids of goat's milk, and their contents were significantly higher than those of breast milk and cow's milk (p<0.05). The ratio of SFA:MUFA:PUFA breast milk was 1.72:1.45:1, Saanen goat's milk was 14.47:6:1, Chinese Holstein cow's milk was 14.98:4.84:1, and Jersey cow's milk was 13.32:4.47:1. Conclusion: None of the ruminant milk has the same proportion of fatty acids as breast milk, so none of them can completely replace breast milk. From the perspective of fatty acids, it is a better choice to choose Saanen goat milk or Jersey milk as a base and then add other ingredients to form infant milk powder.