Supplementation with both forms of α-TOH increased vitamin E concentrations in colostrum; however, the natural form was more efficient in increasing the levels.

This study demonstrated that maternal supplementation with high doses of vitamin A in postpartum resulted in a significant increase of the retinol concentration in colostrum under fasting conditions, with an even greater increase after a meal.

Maternal vitamin E supplementation increases the supply of the vitamin to the infant by providing more than twice the Recommended Daily Intake.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and compare the levels of α-tocopherol in colostrum and in the serum of healthy and diabetic mothers.METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled 51 volunteer mothers, 20 with the diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus and 31 without associated diseases. Serum and colostrum samples were collected in fasting in the immediate postpartum period and α-tocopherol was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In order to define the nutritional status of vitamin E, the cutoff point for the serum (697.7µg/dL) was adopted. Student's t-test for independent variables compared the average concentrations of α-tocopherol in the serum and in the colostrum between control and gestational diabetes mellitus groups. Pearson's correlation was used to assess the relationship between the concentration of α-tocopherol in serum and colostrum for both groups. Differences were considered significant when p<0.05.RESULTS: The α-tocopherol concentration in colostrum was 1,483.1±533.8µg/dL for Control Group and 1,368.8±681.8µg/dL for diabetic women, without differences between groups (p=0.50). However, α-tocopherol concentration in the serum was 1,059.5±372.7µg/dL in the Control Group and 1,391.4±531.5µg/dL in the diabetic one (p<0.01). No correlation was found between the concentration of α-tocopherol in the serum and in the colostrum for control and diabetic groups. CONCLUSIONS: The groups had adequate nutritional status of vitamin E. Gestational diabetes was not associated with changes in α-tocopherol concentration in colostrum.

Abstract This research evaluated the stability of non-encapsulated and spray-dried encapsulated anthocyanin from Solanum melongena L. bark as a natural dye in yogurts. Anthocyanin was extracted using 70% cereal alcohol acidified with citric acid at pH 2.0. Extract spray-drying was defined using the experimental design (22), with drying temperature (°C) and carrier concentration (Gum arabic) as independent variables. The response variable adopted was the total monomeric anthocyanin content. The following analyses were performed: color; total monomeric anthocyanins; total phenolic contents; antioxidant activity using the DPPH• (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical; pH; and acidity. Yogurt degradation constant, half-life, and color retention percentage of anthocyanin added to yogurt were calculated. The total monomeric anthocyanin value found in the extract was 67.21 mg 100g-1 of bark. Natural non-encapsulated and encapsulated dye extract were added to yogurt at concentrations of 1.0; 1.5; and 2 g extract/100 mL yogurt. Average pH values after addition of anthocyanin extract ranged from 3.60 to 3.87. Acidity was 1.04% in natural yogurt (time zero), while 1%; 1.5%; and 2% samples showed 1.4; 1.7; and 2.05% and 1.18; 1.29; and 1.47% acidity in non-encapsulated extract added to yogurt and encapsulated extract added to yogurt, respectively. Anthocyanin content decreased during storage using non-encapsulated extract, remaining constant in encapsulated extract added to yogurt. The three formulations showed increased L* at thirty days, with discoloration being related to decreased anthocyanin content. DPPH• radical scavenging activity decreased during the 30 days of storage. The content of phenolic compounds ranged from 106.01 to 239.90 mg GAE 100 g-1 of yogurt in non-encapsulated extract added to yogurt, and from 225.17 to 291.98mg GAE 100 g-1 of encapsulated extract added to yogurt. Extract encapsulation is indicated because it provides high anthocyanin stability.