A dairy fat matrix providing alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is better than a vegetable fat mixture to increase brain DHA...

Achieving an appropriate DHA status in the neonatal brain is an important goal of neonatal nutrition. We evaluated how alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), provided for six weeks after weaning by different dietary fat matrix, improved brain DHA content of young male rats born from deficient-dams. The level of ALA achieved was based on the fat composition of usual infant vegetable formula. A palm oil-blend diet thus providing 1.5%ALA was compared to dairy fat-blend-based diets that provided either 1.5%ALA or 2.3%ALA, or a rapeseed oil diet providing 8.3%ALA (n-6/n-3 ratio were, respectively 10,10,5,2.5). The 1.5%ALA-dairy-fat-blend was superior to 1.5%ALA-palm-oil-blend to restore values of brain DHA, while the 2.3%ALA-dairy-fat-blend exhibited a further increase and reached the values obtained with pure rapeseed diet (8.3%ALA). Dairy-fat-blends enriched with ALA appear to be an interesting strategy for achieving optimal DHA levels in the brain of post-weaning rats. Providing dairy fat as well as a reduction of the LA/ALA ratio should be reconsidered to design infant formula.