Identification of alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-tocopherols and their contents in human milk

Human milk was found to contain naturally occuring beta-, gamma- and delta-tocopherol and gamma-tocotrienol in addition to alpha-tocopherol on thin-layer chromatography. Some of the tocopherols were also identified by gas-liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. The mean content of alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-tocopherol was 319.3, 7.6, 23.9 and 4.9 mug/g lipid in twelve human colostra 52.5, 1.8, 10.2 and 2.3 mug/g lipid in three transitional milks and 61.7, 2.0, 9.2 and 1.1 mug/g lipid in three normal milks, respectively. A markedly high concentration of alpha-tocopherol was found in colostrum compared with transitional and normal human milk. Gamma-Tocotrienol was detected in colostrum as only one tocotrienol derivative on thin-layer chromatography. The importance of colostrum as the source of vitamin E for the newborn is suggested.