Design of new lipids from bovine milk fat for baby nutrition

The lipid phase of infant formulas is generally composed of plant-based lipids structured with a high concentration of palmitic acid (C16:0) esterified at the sn-2 position of triacylglycerol since this structure favors the absorption and metabolism of fatty acids. Palm oil is commonly used to make up the lipid phase of infant formulas due to its high concentration of palmitic acid and solids profile and melting point similar to human milk fat. However, the addition of palm oil to infant formulas has been associated with the presence of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) esters, a group of glycerol-derived chemical contaminants (1,2,3-propanotriol), potentially toxic, formed during the refining process of vegetable oil. Bovine milk fat obtained from the complex biosynthesis in the mammary gland has potential as a technological alternative to replace palm oil and its fractions for the production of structured lipids to be used in infant formulas. Its application as a substitute is due to its composition and structure, which resembles breast milk fat, and essentially to the preferential distribution pattern of palmitic acids (C16:0) with approximately 85% distributed at the sn-1 and sn-2 position of triacylglycerol. This review will address the relationship between the chemical composition and structure of lipids in infant nutrition, as well as the potential of bovine milk fat as a basis for the production of structured lipids in substitution for the lipid phase of vegetable origin currently used in infant formulas.