Variation of fat globule size and fatty acids in human milk in the first 30 days of lactation

Abstract Variation in human milk fat globules (HMFGs) and the association with fatty acid (FA) composition during lactation was investigated. Human milk samples (n = 134) from six healthy Chinese mothers were collected every day between 3 and 30 days postpartum, and the size distribution of HMFGs and FA composition in samples were investigated. The results indicated that mean HMFG size increased from 3.77 ± 0.95 to 5.09 ± 0.88 μm during lactation. A significant increase was observed in the size of HMFGs and fat content in human milk samples from day 3 to day 10 postpartum. Colostrum samples showed higher contents of medium-chain fatty acids, very-long-chain fatty acids, and saturated fatty acids than mature milk.