05/05/1994

Research Identifying Best Baby Foods for Infants at Risk

AUBURN, Ala. - For most parents, selecting baby food is a matter of taste.

But for parents of children suffering from a rare genetic disorder, choosing the right baby food can be a matter of life or death. Researchers at Auburn University are helping make that choice easier.

Sareen Gropper and Jean Weese, both assistant professors of nutrition and food science at Auburn, are studying foods that may aggravate a disorder known as galactosemia.

"Galactosemia is a rare genetic disorder," explained Gropper. "When infants with galactosemia ingest galactose (a sugar found in milk and other foods), they can't convert it into glucose for the body to use," explained Gropper. "Infants suffering from this disorder can have liver and kidney damage and suffer mental development delays and retardation."

While galactosemia is uncommon (an estimated one in 50,000 babies are affected), infants who do suffer from this disorder desperately need options for good nutrition.

"Galactosemia is easier to manage when infants are young because they can consume special low galactose formulas designed to meet their nutritional needs but not aggravate the disorder, but it's not so easy when they move to solid foods," said Gropper. "And little information was available on what kinds of foods might be high in galactose."

To fill this information void, Gropper and Weese joined forces to analyze certain foodstuffs, specifically manufactured baby foods. Weese's role in the study has been to develop a laboratory method for identifying this substance. Once that was accomplished, the team has been able to evaluate a variety of baby foods.

The researchers found that baby applesauce, a popular selection when infants are first introduced to solid foods, is relatively high in galactose content. They also found that the amount of galactose in manufactured baby foods varies.

"One brand of baby squash we analyzed was really high in galactose. When we called the company, we found out that this baby squash is made from a specific variety of squash," said Gropper. "That probably contributes to the high galactose content."

Gropper and Weese also have found that bananas tend to have more galactose than other kinds of fruits and vegetables. Preliminary research on baby cereals, such as rice cereal, indicates that galactose is higher in cereals that also include fruit in the dry formulation.

But the scientists also noted that galactose content is not a concern for most parents. "Unless your child has been diagnosed with galactosemia, you don't need to be concerned with the galactose content of their foods," said Gropper.

But for those babies who do suffer from this disorder, this research will provide additional information to pediatricians and dietitians so they can help these babies thrive.

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Office of Ag Communications & Marketing

Auburn University College of Agriculture
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
3 Comer Hall, Auburn University
Auburn, AL 36849
334-844-4877 (PHONE) 334-844-5892 (FAX)

Contact Jamie Creamer, 334-844-2783 or jcreamer@auburn.edu
Contact Katie Jackson, 334-844-5886 or smithcl@auburn.edu

05/05/94