Comparative major oligosaccharides and lactose between Chinese human and animal milk

Human milk is the best food for babies, but those who are not breastfed depend on infant formula, and the nutrients in formula are gradually approaching the levels of human milk. When using raw animal milk for formula, different oligosaccharides and the content of lactose between human and animal milk must be understood. In this study, 12 kinds of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) and lactose in Chinese human and animal (bovine, goat, yak, and donkey) milk were detected. Results showed that the concentrations of 12 HMOs in animal milk were lower than that of human milk. Only goat milk contained 2'-FL, which was an abundant neutral oligosaccharide in human milk, and the acidic oligosaccharides in goat milk were very similar in type to human milk. The lactose content of donkey milk was closest to human milk. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.