Effect of Daily Consumption of Orange Maize on Breast Milk Retinol in Lactating Zambian Women

Effect of Daily Consumption of β-carotene Biofortified Maize on Milk Retinol Concentration in Lactating Zambian Women

The purpose of the study is to determine whether daily consumption of beta-carotene biofortified maize will increase breast milk retinol concentration in lactating Zambian women.

Lactating women were randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups to receive 6d/wk for 3 wk either 1) provitamin A biofortified orange maize and a corn oil capsule, 2) white maize and a vitamin A capsule, or 3) white maize and a corn oil capsule. The 'orange maize' and 'vitamin A' groups received ~600 ug RAE/d as provitamin A biofortified maize or retinyl palmitate, respectively. The 'white maize' group was a negative control group that did not receive any supplemental vitamin A.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Apparently healthy lactating women 18-35 years of age
• who are breastfeeding a single infant, 4-12 mo of age.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnancy,
• Chronic disease,
• Hb concentration <90 g/L,
• Signs or symptoms of vitamin A deficiency