Babies of Adult Mothers May Have Greater Immunity Than Those of Adolescent Mothers | Press

Research shows that the concentration of glutamate in the milk of adult mothers is higher than in that of adolescent mothers, which could be decisive for a baby’s immunity.

A study conducted by Manuel Eduardo Baldeón, professor at the University of San Francisco de Quito and former Secretary of Science and Technology of Ecuador, suggests that babies of adult mothers may have greater immune resistance than newborns of adolescent mothers. This is because glutamate, the substance that confers the umami taste—the fifth basic taste of the human palate—would be more abundant in the breast milk of mothers aged 20 to 36, which would be directly linked both to the formation of babies’ intestines and to the development of the immune system.

Baldeón’s research is only expected to be published in the coming months, but some results were presented by the professor at the XXIII Food Science and Technology Congress, held last Friday (4th) at Unicamp, in Campinas. In the lecture “The health benefits of the umami taste: its presence in breast milk and effects on the development of newborns,” the researcher brought the local audience more insights about the fifth basic taste of the human palate, which has been gradually gaining popularity among Brazilians.
According to Baldeón, an important function of glutamate is to support the proper development of the intestine, especially in newborns. “Glutamate is a fundamental energy source for intestinal development. It helps with cell division, which is very important, since we renew our intestines roughly every five days,” explains the professor.

The specialist also highlights the importance of glutamate in the functioning of the immune system. “When a pathogenic microorganism enters our body, the defense cells begin to combat it. At this moment glutamate plays a key role, because it helps relay the message to other cells so they can fight the invading microorganism and consequently stop its development,” says Baldeón.

The Ecuadorian professor is keen to stress that the major outcome of his study was to confirm that the breast milk of adult mothers has a higher concentration of glutamate than the milk of adolescent mothers. For the researcher, further studies are still needed to confirm whether the glutamate present in breast milk truly yields health benefits for newborns.
“It is very important to educate mothers about the benefits of breast milk, especially adolescent mothers. Good nutrition in the first months of life can help children lead a healthier life,” Baldeón concludes.

UMAMI TASTE

Umami is the fifth basic taste of the human palate and was discovered in 1908 by Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda. However, it was only recognized by the scientific community in 2000, when researchers at the University of Miami found specific receptors on the taste buds. The amino acid glutamic acid and the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate are the main substances that provide umami. Parmesan cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms, and meats in general are foods that contain these substances in large proportion and therefore have a more pronounced fifth taste. The two main characteristics of umami are increased salivation and a lingering taste for a few minutes after ingesting the food.