Adaptação do método do formol de quantificação de proteínas para leite humano

Abstract

Due to the large and multiple benefits of breastfeeding, its practice has become known and recommended worldwide, being important to the covering of the nutritional requirements of the infant, and its benefits extend through the entire circle of life. Human milk has uncountable advantages: hygienic, immunological, psychosocial, cognitive aspects; and, beyond that, the economic advantage must be considered, for the human milk has low cost, since it is produced by the nurse. Its nutritional composition balanced in terms of proteins, carbohydrates and fats promotes adequate growing and development to newborns. Considering the routines of macronutrients analysis in human milk banks and the importance of determining and knowing other macronutrients that involve the total energetic value of the human milk, the present work puts forward the adaptation of a simple analytic method, based on quantification of crude protein in human milk. As the study object, the formaldehyde method was used, and, as a comparative base, the Kjeldahl method - standard method. Method miniaturization, alkaline solution concentration change and evaluation of the use of potassium oxalate were used in the preliminary tests phase. When linking the Kjeldahl and formaldehyde methods, regression equations were established to determine crude protein through formaldehyde method in human milk in different lactation levels. In this proposal, even if adjustments are necessary, the adapted formaldehyde method shows reliability; and, in practice, it highlights itself by fast execution and applicability when compared to the reference method, therefore being indicated in human milk banks routines.