Stability of vitamins during the storage of liquid infant milks

Abstract

The stability of the water-soluble B vitamins and the fat-soluble vitamins A and E of three liquid infant milks was followed throughout 12 months of storage at 20, 30 and 37 °C. Two samples were ‘follow-on’ milks from two different manufacturers and the other a ‘junior’ milk from one of these. The levels of water-soluble vitamins and vitamin E remained constant during storage at the three temperatures. In contrast, vitamin A decreased in samples from one manufacturer at all storage temperatures, and in samples from the other only at 37 °C. A kinetic equation was derived that made it possible to predict the influence of storage temperature on the shelf life of these kinds of products, together with the storage period during which levels of vitamin A recommended as adequate would remain.