Comparing patterns of volatile organic compounds exhaled in breath after consumption of two infant formulae with a different lipid structure: a randomized trial

Abstract

Infant formulae have been used since decades as an alternative to or a complement to human milk. Human milk, the “gold standard” of infant nutrition, has been studied for its properties in order to create infant formulae that bring similar benefits to the infant. One of the characteristics of milk is the size of the lipid droplets which is known to affect the digestion, gastric emptying and triglyceride metabolism. In the current study a concept infant milk formula with large, phospholipid coating of lipid droplets (mode diameter 3–5 μm; NUTURIS, further described as “active”), was compared to a commercially available formula milk characterised by smaller lipid droplets, further described as “control” (both products derived from Nutricia). We investigated whether we could find an effect of lipid droplet size on volatile compounds in exhaled air upon ingestion of either product. For that purpose, exhaled breath was collected from a group of 29 healthy, non-smoking adult males before ingestion of a study product (baseline measurements, T0) and at the following time points after the test meal: 30, 60, 120, 180 and 240 min. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in breath were detected by gas chromatography-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry. Any differences in the time course of VOCs patterns upon intake of active and control products were investigated by regularised multivariate analysis of variance (rMANOVA). The rMANOVA analysis revealed statistically significant differences in the exhaled breath composition 240 min after ingestion of the active formula compared to control product (p-value < 0.0001), but did not show significant changes between active and control product at any earlier time points. A set of eight VOCs in exhaled breath had the highest contribution to the difference found at 240 minutes between the two formulas. A set of ten VOCs was different between baseline and the two formulae at T240 with p-value < 0.0001. To our knowledge this is the first study that shows the ability of VOCs in exhaled breath to monitor metabolic effects after ingestion of infant formulae with different lipid structure. The statistically significant differences in compound abundance found between active and control formula milk may be related to: (i) specific differences in the digestion, (ii) absorption of lipids and proteins and (iii) assimilation of the products in the gut.

Sugar Beet Pectin Supplementation Did Not Alter Profiles of Fecal Microbiota and Exhaled Breath in Healthy Young Adults and Healthy Elderly

“…The changes in exhaled breath composition due to dietary nutrients have been related to their direct impact on metabolism and/or because they modify the intestinal microbiota (composition and/or activity). In a recent study by Smolinska et al, significant differences in exhaled VOC profiles of adults were observed 240 min after consuming two infant formula diets that only differed with respect to lipid structures, showing that differences in dietary nutrients can lead to short term changes in exhaled breath composition [67]. Although pectin is a dietary fiber that could potentially alter VOC profiles by increasing the intestinal metabolite production, in the current study no intervention effect was shown on the exhaled VOC profiles of young adults and elderly.…”

Application of Volatile Organic Compound Analysis in a Nutritional Intervention Study: Differential Responses during Five Hours Following Consumption of a High‐ and a Low‐Fat Dairy Drink

“…In a recent study, GC‐MS was used to analyze VOCs patterns in exhaled air after consumption of two different infant formula products . Eight VOCs were significant different, only at the final time point, that is, 240 min after consumption of the products . In that study, participants received both treatments only once, so, based on our study, a considerable intra‐subject variation may have prevented identification of additional differentially affected VOCs.…”

“…Especially for vulnerable target groups, this seems a promising method. In a recent study, GC‐MS was used to analyze VOCs patterns in exhaled air after consumption of two different infant formula products . Eight VOCs were significant different, only at the final time point, that is, 240 min after consumption of the products .…”

“…For instance, during fasting, acetone is measured in exhaled air, which is likely to reflect increased ketogenesis. Furthermore, a recent study shows that consumption of two different infant formulas results in a different postprandial VOC pattern …”

Biomarkers of Nutrition and Health: New Tools for New Approaches

“…VOCs can also be sampled from breath, which is a promising tool for diagnosis of respiratory and other diseases [106,107,108]. Recently, it was also shown that analysis of VOCs in breath were different after the intake of two different infant formulae [109]. Although the observed within and between subject variation was high, breathomics data support that, with an appropriate study design and data pre-processing, specific VOC profiles have been identified and associated with fat intake from dairy drinks in comparison with a drink with the same constituents but a lower amount of fat (Hageman et al [110]).…”