Omega-6 and Omega-3 Fatty Acid Content and Ratio of Commercial Complementary Foods

Abstract

Correspondence Author b Abstract After 6 months old, the baby must be provided complementary foods (CFs) due to the breast milk only cannot meet the nutrients requirement. The essential nutrients that should be contained in CFs are omega-6 (n-6) and omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid. The study evaluated n-6 and n-3 fatty acid contents, as well n-6:n-3 ratios of commercial CFs on the market. An observational study was conducted on the biggest supermarket of Denpasar city on June 2016. The n-6 and n-3 contents and it ratios were determined depending on labels of each commercial CFs then compared with Indonesia Nutritional Adequacy Rate (NAR) according to the infant's age. Total 53 commercial CFs were included in this study, 48 of them contain n-6 and/or n-3 fatty acid, where is 40 as a porridge and 8 as biscuits. Most of the commercial CF (97.5%) contains omega-6 fatty acid and only 57.5% of them contain omega-3 fatty acid. While all of the biscuit forms only contain omega-3 fatty acid. The concentration of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acid per 100 kcal was 302 mg and 39 mg, respectively with ratio 7.7:1. Compared with Indonesia NAR requirement of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acid and it ratio according the infant's age there was not significantly different (p = 0.826). The concentration and ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acid in commercial CF was appropriate with Indonesia NAR according the infant's age.