The separation of non phosphorus lipids and phospholipids of rat heart using Sep‐pack Silica cartridges is described. No cartridge preparation is necessary before utilization. The separation of lipid extracts is very fast. A complete partition of non phosphorus lipids and phospholipid is obtained.

The effect of exposure to ultra‐low temperature (liquid nitrogen, LN) on viability of seeds desiccated to various water contents was investigated in 9 coffee species. Three groups of species could be distinguished based on seed survival after LN exposure. In group 1 species, no seedling production could be obtained after LN exposure due to endosperm injury. In group 2 species, recovery was very low or nil after rapid cooling, and only moderate after slow cooling. In group 3 species, very high percentages of seedling development were observed after both rapid and slow cooling. A high interspecific variability for the high moisture freezing limit was observed within the species of groups 2 and 3, since it ranged from 0.14 to 0.26 g H2O g−1 dry weight. A very highly significant correlation was found for those species between the unfreezable water content, as determined from DSC analysis, and the high moisture freezing limit of their seeds. No significant correlation was found between seed lipid content, which varied from 9.8 to 34.6% dry weight, and survival after LN exposure. However, a negative relationship was found between seed unfreezable water content and lipid content. Interspecific differences in fatty acid composition of seed lipids resulted in a high variability in the percentage of unsaturated fatty acids, which ranged from 28.7 to 54.4% among the 9 species studied. For all species studied, a highly significant correlation was found between the percentage of unsaturated fatty acids and the percentage of seedling recovery after rapid or slow cooling.

Objective: To measure the lipid content and the fatty acid (FA) composition of breast milk as part of a nutritional survey of the essential fatty acid (EFA) status of 5 months old Congolese infants. Design: Cross sectional nutrition survey. Setting: A suburban district of Brazzaville (capital of the Congo). Subjects: A random sample of nursing mothers and their 5 months old infants (n 102). Data collection procedures: The mothers were questionned on their socio-economic status, dietary habits, and their body mass index (BMI) was measured. Breast milk samples were collected from each mother. Milk lipid content and fatty acid composition were determined. Results: Compared with milk from various countries, Congolese women's mature breast milk was low in lipid (28.70 AE 11.33 gaL) but rich in 8:0±14:0 FAs (25.97 AE 8.17% of total FAs) and in polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs), particularly n-3 PUFAs (2.39 AE 0.68% of total FAs, mainly 18:3 and 22:6). This was associated with the frequent consumption of high-carbohydrate foods (processed cassava roots, wheat bread, doughnuts) known to enhance 8:0±14:0 FA biosynthesis, and with that of foods providing n-6 and n-3 EFAs such as freshwater and saltwater ®sh, vegetable oil, green leafy vegetables, and high-fat fruit (peanuts, avocado, bushbutter). These foods were traditionally and locally produced. Milk lipid content was negatively related with mothers' BMI (P`0.01) and varied with the frequency of consumption of certain foods corresponding to distinct dietary patterns. Conclusions: Lipid content and FA composition of Congolese breast milk were dependent on mother's nutritional status. However, despite an adequate EFA composition of breast milk, partially breast-fed 5 months old Congolese infants probably did not get enough n-6 and n-3 EFAs from breast milk to meet their EFA requirements. Sponsorship: Supported in part by the French Ministry of Research (contract no. 92.L.0728) and INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique).

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