H NMR-based compositional identification of different powdered infant formulas.

Infant formulas (IFs), most of which are bovine milk-based, are important for normal growth and development. However, information regarding the ingredients in IFs is often limited in detail, and chemical changes during production and storage appear common. Therefore, it is important to understand in detail the composition of IFs. In this study, a wide range of low-molecular-weight organic components in commercial IFs were determined using the H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique. The components emerging after multivariate data analysis could be used to discriminate certain infant formulas from each other. Particular attention was given to the components with potentially beneficial bioactivities. Our study indicates that NMR spectroscopy in combination with multivariate data analysis constitutes an efficient tool for the comprehensive characterization of various IFs and the in-depth understanding of the nutritional value of IFs for infants.