Vitamin C Levels Of Infant Formulas and Theır Consumption

Abstract

In this study vitamin C content of the five infant formulas and the loss of vitamin C when formulas \vere kept in room temperature or inrefrig era tor for 15 days were analyzed, and 120 foımula using mothers groupped into trwo according to their socio-economic levels were questioned to find out the way of consumption, storage and preparation of the formulas. The average vitamin C content of the formulas was found to be 50.3 m g / 100 g which was slightly above the amount of 45.9 mg/ 100 g w ritten on the labels. But 15.9 % and 8.3 % of vitamin C loss accurred when formulas were kept in room temperature and in lefrig erator for 15 days, respectively. The mothers were mostly using the baby formulas as a supplementary food to breast milk, and 74.2 % of the mothers were having this advice from the doctors. 55 '% of the mothers were keeping the formulas at room tem p e ratu re and 49.2 '% were consuming one can of formula within 5 to 7 days. The mothers who were consuming the formulas for more than 15 days were 13.3 % in socio economically well defined group and 21.7% in low socio economic group.