Influence of short-term dietary measures on dioxin concentrations in human milk

Abstract

Breast-feeding may expose infants to high levels of toxic chlorinated dioxins. To diminish intake of these lipophilic compounds by the baby, two diets were tested for their ability to reduce concentration of dioxins in human milk. The diets were a low-fat/high-carbohydrate/low-dioxin diet (about 20% of energy intake derived from fat) and a high-fat/low-carbohydrate/low-dioxin diet. These diets were tested in 16 and 18 breast-feeding women, respectively. The test diets were followed for 5 consecutive days in the fourth week after delivery. Milk was sampled before and at the end of the dietary regimen, and dioxin concentration and fatty acid concentrations were determined. Despite significant influences of these diets on the fatty acid profiles, no significant on the dioxin concentrations in breast milk could be found. We conclude that short-term dietary measures will not reduce dioxin concentrations in human milk.