Research: The sensory-active volatile compounds (FA and FAe) are the major contributors to the smell of preterm breast milk.

Quick summary: Recent research on the sensory active compounds in preterm human milk — fatty acids and fatty acid esters.

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Just when you thought breast milk couldn’t get any more amazing, along comes this fascinating new research on the sensory active compounds in preterm human milk.

As you know, breast milk has a very distinctive smell and taste.

Previous research had shown that some of the volatile components of breast milk could influence the learning of flavours through “the cephalic phase response, metabolism, and digestion”.

But what about breast milk produced by mothers for preterm babies?

The study

Muelbert M et al. (2021) analysed breast milk samples collected from 170 mothers of preterm infants.

40 volatile compounds were detected in the milk: “mostly fatty acids and their esters (FA and FAe), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), aldehydes, terpenoids, alcohols, and ketones.”

The scientists detected something interesting with the relative concentration of two compounds (FA and FAe) — these are fatty acids and fatty acis…