Soluble Galactose Content of Selected Baby Food Cereals and Juices

To provide information necessary for managing the diets of infants with galactosemia, the amount of galactose, in its unconjugated monomeric form, was quantified via capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in selected baby food cereals and juices. Apple and orange baby fruit juices had the highest galactose content, typically over 2 mg/100 g of juice. Pear and white grape juices contained less than 1.5 mg/100 g of juice. Of the cereals tested, rice, oatmeal, high protein (containing soy, wheat, and either oat or corn), and mixed (containing oat, wheat, corn, and rice and/or barley) contained less than 1 mg galactose/100 g cereal; some contained no detectable galactose. However, these cereals commercially supplemented with fruit contained elevated levels of galactose, in some cases over threefold.