Comparing apples and oranges: Why infant bone collagen may not reflect dietary intake in the same way as dentine collagen

Abstract

δ¹³ C profiles for both dentine and bone are similar and more robust than δ¹⁵ N for estimating the age at which weaning foods are introduced. Our results suggest δ¹⁵ N values from dentine can be used to evaluate the maternal/in utero diet and physiology during pregnancy, and that infant dentine profiles may reflect diet PLUS an element of physiological stress. In particular, bone collagen fails to record the same range of δ¹⁵ N as co-forming dentine, especially where growth is stunted, suggesting that infant bone collagen is unreliable for weaning studies.