Abstract: Human milk contains various types of vitamin A (VA), such as retinol, β-carotene, β- cryptoxanthin, α-carotene, lycopene and lutein. The content of VA is different among colostrum, transitional milk and mature milk, but it generally decreases with the duration of lactation. For instance, the content of retinol, the most abundant type of VA in human milk, is 478–1 920, 440–1 270 and 178–825 mg/L in colostrum, transition milk and mature milk, respectively. The VA content in human milk is not only affected by lactation time, but also related to regions, the diet of lactating mothers, the fat content of human milk, etc. This paper summarizes the types, contents, influential factors and health effects (visual health, immune health, growth and development, etc.) of VA in breast milk from different countries and regions, in order to provide a basis for the development of infant formula milk powder.

Key words: vitamin A; retinol; carotenoids; human milk; infant formula

摘要： 母乳中含有多种VA，如视黄醇、β-胡萝卜素、β-隐黄质、α-胡萝卜素、番茄红素及叶黄素等，且母乳初乳、过渡乳和成熟乳中VA的含量不同，但总体上VA含量随着泌乳期的延长而降低。如母乳中含量最高的VA视黄醇，其在初乳、过渡乳、成熟乳中的含量分别为478～1 920、440～1 270、178～825 μg/L。母乳中VA含量除受泌乳时间影响外，还与地域、乳母膳食及母乳脂肪含量等有关。本文重点介绍不同国家/地区母乳中VA的种类、含量、影响因素及其健康作用（视觉健康、免疫健康和生长发育等），以期为婴幼儿配方乳粉的发展提供参考。

关键词: VA；视黄醇；类胡萝卜素；母乳；婴幼儿配方乳粉