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Breastfeeding mothers should be cautious about consuming trans fatty acids, since they pass them on to their breastfed infants, according to a study published in the January 1995 issue of Lipids.
The study, "Trans Fatty Acid Isomers in Canadian Human Milk," analyzed 198 human milk specimens from nine provinces in Canada.
The associate director of The Chinese University of Hong Kong's Food and Nutritional Science Program, Chen Zhen-Yu, who headed the study, said trans fatty acids (trans fat) prevented infants from absorbing essential polyunsaturated fatty acids such as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), which was required by infants' brains.
"Trans fatty acids will compete with DHA (which is extremely important in fetal development and during the first few months of an infant's life) for tissue incorporation and may interfere with essential fatty acid metabolism," Professor Chen said.
"The brain requires polyunsaturated fatty acids like DHA, and in this regard, trans fat in breast milk will not be good [for infants in the] long [run]," he said.
University of Queensland's Nutrition Unit senior lecturer Faruk Ahmed said trans fat affected the quality of breast milk.
"Obviously, the quality of breast milk will be affected because the composition of the milk will contain trans fat if the pregnant woman consumes too much of it," Dr Ahmed said.
"Trans fat may also affect the fetus because anything [a pregnant woman] consumes goes into the blood, which in turn goes to the fetus," he said.
National Heart Foundation Australia (NHF) information officer Janet Steicke said trans fat, a type of unsaturated fat, which behaved like a saturated fat because of its chemical structure, was harmful to the human heart.
But Ms. Steicke said the NHF was "not aware of concerns regarding the intake of trans fat during pregnancy."
Australian Consumer's Association food policy officer Clare Hughes said Australian food manufacturers were not required to include trans fat in food labels.
"Foods could contain trans fat in addition to their saturated fat and you wouldn't know," Ms. Hughes said.
Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) said trans fat was created when manufacturers added hydrogen to vegetable oil in a process called hydrogenation.
"Trans fats are uncommon in nature but are found [naturally] in low levels, in the fat of beef, lamb and diary foods," a DAA spokesperson said.
"Eating large amounts of trans fatty acids can increase your total and bad cholesterol levels and decrease the good cholesterol, therefore increasing your overall risk of developing heart disease," she said.
However, Professr Chen said trans fat had no immediate threat to infants' health.
"There is no clear conclusion that trans fat will definitely affect infants' health, but strong evidence is that atherosclerosis (fat deposits in arteries) begins in childhood.
"But trans fat will not do any good even if the harmful effect is not certain.
"Pregnant women should avoid eating in fast [food] restaurants and stay away from French fries and margarines which contain lots of trans [fat]," he said.
Trans fat can be found in deep fried foods, baked products like pies, pastries, cakes, biscuits and in some margarines.
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