[Frontiers in Bioscience E2, 537-546, January 1, 2010]

Donkey's milk detailed lipid composition

Daniela Gastaldi1, Enrico Bertino2, Giovanna Monti3, Cristina Baro4, Claudio Fabris2, Antonela Lezo3, Claudio Medana1, Claudio Baiocchi1, Michele Mussap5, Fabio Galvano6, Amedeo Conti4

1Department of Analytical Chemistry - University of Turin, Italy, 2Neonatal Unit, Department of Paediatric and Adolescence Science, University of Turin, Italy, 3Dept. of Paediatric and Adolescence Science, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, Turin, Italy, 4CNR-Institute of Science of Food Production, Turin, Italy, 5Biochemical and Clinical Laboratory, San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy, 6Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Abstract
2. Introduction
3. Materials and methods
3.1. Sample preparation
3.2. Sample treatment
3.3. Gc analysis
3.4. Hplc analysis and mass conditions
4. Results and discussion
4.1. Fatty acid analysis
4.2. Tag analysis
5. Acknowledgments
6. References

1. ABSTRACT

Donkey's milk (DM) has recently aroused scientific interest, above all among paediatric allergologists. A deeper knowledge of both proteins and fats in donkey's milk is necessary to evaluate the immunological, physiological and nutritional properties. By using the most refined techniques for fatty acids analysis, the paper offers a detailed comparative analysis of the lipid fractions of DM as well as of human and cow milk, also indicating the distribution of fatty-acid moieties among sn-1/3 and sn-2 positions of the glycerol backbone. In DM the position of fatty acids on glycerol backbone, above all of long chain saturated fatty acids, is very similar to that of human milk: this fact, in conjunction with the relatively high contents of medium-chain triglycerides, makes the lipids in DM, through quantitatively reduced, highly bioavailable. The high PUFA n-3 content of donkey's milk, and especially its low n-6/n-3 ratio, acquires particular interest in subjects affected by cow's milk protein allergy. Whole DM might also constitute the basis for formulas suitable for subjects in the first year of life.