Analysis of Carbohydrates - Examples of carbohydrate analysis - GOS in baby formula

8 important questions on Analysis of Carbohydrates - Examples of carbohydrate analysis - GOS in baby formula

What are the challenges of analyzing GOS in infant formula?

It is a complex matrix
  • Prebiotic oligosaccharides represented in very low amounts (0.2 – 2%) in food product
  • Abundance of monomers and dimers
  • High levels of Maltodextrins may disturb detection of prebiotic oligosaccharides

Why is invitro information on GOS not that usefull?

If you wand to determine what was present it is not that useful since there is a huge variety between people.

Why do you do a AMG incubation for the samples before extracted by SPE?

Due to high maltodextrin concentration, AMG-incubation necessary before SPE since the signal is otherwise not clear enough.
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Why is cant you analyse the FOS and Inuline in a food matrix jet?

Because you need a APTS label in order to analyse with CE-LIF and for this you need a aldehyde group to bind the APTS molecule to.

What is the difference between Human milk Oligosaccharides (HMO) and GOS?

HMOs complex but all have a lactose core unit.

GOS is transglycosylation product from lactose.
  • Mayority of GOS has also a lactose cor unit
  • Also beneficial for gut lfore   

What are the challenges of CE-LIF-MS in HMO analysis




Structure HMOs very complex


  • not all standards available
  • new structures formed during intestinal passage



Some HMO-isomers separated by CE-LIF
  • same masses
  • MS can differentiate between several structures




MS^n experiments for structural characterization!

What is the difference about Breast fed and formula fed babies?





Breast&fed babies
  • Peak profile fecal extract different from mother milk
  • Intestinal degradation of simple structures
  • Predominant “leftover structures“ (resulting from degradation)
  • Intestinal lactase-/sialidase-activity
  • De-fucosylation of di-fucosyl-HMOs easier than mono-fucosyl HMOs
    (accumulation)
  • Unknown peaks identified by CE-LIF- MSn: LNFP Y, LNT
    -> result of intestinal degradation






Formula&fed babies
  • Peak profile fecal extract different from GOS formula
  • Peak profiles according to time of birth ?
  • Accumulation of DP4
  • Mucus derived oligosaccharides (other flora developed than breastfed baby)

What is the conclusion concerning analytics in HMO analysis?

  • CE is a sensitive and high resolution separation technique
  • Sample cleanup of HMO's form mother milk and baby fecal samples relatively simple to do
  • MS identification of HMO's is only 'simple' due to pre-existing knowledge and different m/z values of sugar building blocks

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