Human Milk: Creamatocrit as a method of determination of the caloric content

SISTI, MARTÍN SEBASTIÁN; SANJURJO, ADRIANA; SAGER, GUSTAVO H; LAYERENZA, JUAN PABLO; LAGRUTTA, LUCÍA CAROLINA; VES LOSADA, ANA

CABA

Congreso; Reunion SAIB 2013 Buenos Aires; 2013

SAIB

Human milk is a fluid capable of providing all the nutrients and defenses necessary for the newborns (NB). The neonatology service of the HIGA San Martin La Plata City has its own Mother´s Milk Bank, whose milk is classified according to gestational age in which the birth took place (to find homogeneity with the recipient´s mother milk); colostrum(up to 7 days old), transitional milk(7 to 14) and mature milk(over 14). Categorized milk is classified by its caloric content (CC), by the creamatocrit method (CM) which only considers milk lipids(L) whereas proteins (P) and carbohydrates (C) are not quantified (CM:L66.8+290).This allows selecting the milk which best adapts to the NB?s needs. The aim of the present study was to determine if CM (at present applied in the Milk Bank) is appropriated to evaluate milk CC. For this purpose milk CC was determined by CM and analytical methods (P:Kjeldakl, L:Gerber, C:Antrona-Sulfuric) and Atwater coefficients. Mature milk had 0.40-0.65 kcal/ml(both methods). However, CM was equivalent to CC only when milk P and C were within normal ranges, if not CC was over/under estimated. In conclusion, we propose milk CC should consider all macrocomponents, in benefit of those neonates undergoing critical stage. IR Spectrometry would be the most convenient method since it is simple, quick, non-destructive and sensitive.