Folic acid is a very important water-soluble vitamin in human milk, which is essential for embryonic development and growth. The folic acid in human milk often exists in the form of polyglutamic acid salts (≥ 4 glutamyl residues), such as 5-methyltetrahydrofolate. Folic acid deficiency may lead to birth defects such as neural tube defect and congenital heart disease. This article introduces the folic acid content in breast milk from different countries/regions, the factors influencing it and its health effects in order to provide a reference for the development of infant formula milk powder.

Human milk contains various types of vitamin A (VA), such as retinol, β-carotene, β- cryptoxanthin, α-carotene, lycopene and lutein. The content of VA is different among colostrum, transitional milk and mature milk, but it generally decreases with the duration of lactation. For instance, the content of retinol, the most abundant type of VA in human milk, is 478-1920, 440–1270 and 178–825 μg/L in colostrum, transition milk and mature milk, respectively. The VA content in human milk is not only affected by lactation time, but also related to regions, the diet of lactating mothers, the fat content of human milk, etc. This paper summarizes the types, contents, influential factors and health effects (visual health, immune health, growth and development, etc.) of VA in breast milk from different countries and regions, in order to provide a basis for the development of infant formula milk powder.

Breast milk is the most ideal natural food for infants and the gold standard for the development of infant formula (IF). Accurately simulating the nutritional components of breast milk is an important means to improve IF. In order to better simulate breast milk lipids, a new generation of IF was developed based on the reported breast milk data, and then the total fatty acids and sn-2 fatty acids in breast milk and the new generation of IF were comparatively analyzed. The results showed that the new generation of IF and human milk were highly similar in total fatty acids and sn-2 fatty acids (the similarity coefficients were > 85% and > 70%, respectively). In conclusion, the new generation of IF can accurately simulate the total fatty acids and sn-2 fatty acids in human milk.

Human milk is the most perfect source of nutrition for infants. It contains all the nutrients needed for the growth and development of infants. Phospholipids can promote the intestinal, brain and cognitive development of infants, which is very important for the healthy development of infants. This paper introduces its readers to the phospholipids in human milk, focusing on the differences in the composition and content of phospholipids in human milk in different countries/regions, as well as the differences in the composition of phospholipids and phospholipid fatty acids in human, bovine, caprine and ovine milk. This review hopefully will provide a basis for the development of infant formula, especially the fine simulation of phospholipid composition and phospholipid fatty acid composition in human milk.

Human milk contains a large amount of vitamin C, which can meet the needs of newborns’ early growth and development. Vitamin C has been proven to have multiple functions such as preventing scurvy, treating hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and preventing placental abruption. This article provides an overview of the content of vitamin C in human milk in different countries/regions, the factors influencing it and its health effects on infants, hoping to provide a reference for the development of infant formula milk powder.

The balance of scalp microecological environment is very important to scalp health. Some scalp disorders may be associated with the imbalance of microbial communities. As beneficial live microorganisms, probiotics can regulate the intestinal flora, and then affect the immune system of the scalp through the gut-skin axis, which have a positive impact on the health of the scalp. Studies have shown that probiotics have the potential to maintain scalp health. This paper summarizes the mechanism of action of probiotics on the skin and their auxiliary role in regulating hair loss and dander.

This study analyzed the effect of season on the nutrient and fatty acid composition of yak milk. Yak milk samples from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in summer and winter (n = 18, each) were selected for this study. Results showed that the contents of protein, lactose, non-fat milk solid, ash, vitamin A and main trans fatty acids (trans-9 C_18:1 and trans-9,12 C_{18:2 n-6}) were significantly lower in winter than in summer (P < 0.05), while the contents of fat and main fatty acids (C_16:0, C_17:0, C_18:0, cis-9 C_16:1, cis-9 C_18:1 and cis-9,12 C_{18:2 n-6}) in yak milk were significantly higher in winter than in summer. This suggests that the nutrient and fatty acids composition of yak milk from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are influenced by season.