Communication
Desmosterol in human milk†
To whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
Scientific Contribution No. 960, Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268.
Abstract
Milk samples were collected from mothers at 2,6, 12 and 16 weeks postpartum. Desmosterol was found to be present in all the milk samples. Identification of desmosterol was based on retention times with two gas liquid chromatography (GLC) columns and verified by GC-m ass spectrometry. The concentration of desmosterol in breast milk increased significantly (P<0.5) from 0.6 mg/100 ml at 2 weeks to 1.3 mg/100 ml at 16 weeks postpartum. Desmosterol was not significantly correlated with total lipid, total cholesterol or free cholesterol in the milk.
