人乳中的叶黄素对婴幼儿视力和认知功能的发育起着至关重要的作用。该研究利用超高效液相色谱串联质谱对不同分娩年龄和泌乳阶段的人乳中叶黄素及叶黄素酯的组成和含量进行测定，最终实现定性定量分析人乳中的叶黄素和16种叶黄素酯。研究发现人乳中叶黄素与叶黄素酯的含量呈较强的正相关关系（皮尔逊相关系数为0.721），适龄组（分娩年龄<35岁）乳汁中叶黄素和叶黄素酯的含量与高龄组（分娩年龄≥35岁）相近，两者之间的差异并不显著（P>0.05），可知分娩年龄对人乳中叶黄素及叶黄素酯含量的影响较小。叶黄素与叶黄素酯的含量均随着泌乳期的延长而逐渐降低，初乳中两者的含量均最高，其中叶黄素的平均含量达183.78 μg/L，叶黄素酯的平均含量达45.89 μg/L。分别从初乳、过渡乳、成熟乳中检出了10、14、6种叶黄素酯，其中叶黄素棕榈酸- 硬脂酸酯的含量在整个泌乳期中最高，叶黄素二硬脂酸酯的含量次之。研究结果可为人乳成分的研究及婴配食品的研发提供一定的实验和理论基础。

Lutein in human breast milk plays an important role in the development of vision and cognitive function in infants. In this study, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was used to determine the composition and contents of lutein and lutein esters in human breast milk collected at different ages for giving childbirth and lactation stages. Finally, lutein and 16 lutein esters in human breast milk were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed. A strong positive correlation was found between lutein and lutein esters contents in human breast milk (Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.721). The contents of lutein and lutein esters in human breast milk in the age-appropriate group (childbirth age<35 years) was similar to that of the older age group (childbirth age ≥ 35 years), and the difference between the two was insignificant (P>0.05), indicating that the age for giving childbirth had little effect on the contents of lutein and lutein esters in human breast milk. The contents of lutein and lutein esters decreased gradually with the extension of the lactation period, and the contents of both in colostrum were the highest, with the average content of lutein reaching 183.78 μg/L and the average content of lutein esters reaching 45.89 μg/L. There were 10, 14 and 6 kinds of lutein esters detected in the colostrum, transitional milk and mature milk, respectively, with the content of lutein palmitate-stearate being the highest throughout the whole lactation period, followed by lutein distearate. The research results can provide certain experimental and theoretical bases for the research of human milk composition and the research and development of infant formula foods.

重庆市自然科学基金项目（CSTB2022NSCQ-MSX0633）；中国食品科学技术学会食品科技基金（2020-03）；西南大学大学生创新创业训练计划项目（X202210635487）