This study investigated a reliable method for quantitation of fatty acids (FA) in milk by gas chromatography. Milk samples were treated with CHCl3/CH3OH(2:l, v/y) to extract the fats. A transesterification reaction using fat plus AcCI/CH3OH(l:10, v/v) as a reagent to prepare fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) was carried out at 60°C for 90 min. The recoveries of FAME derived from standard FA were 98.2 +- 3.2% for the high concentration group; 97.5 ±4.1 % for the low con-centration group. When FAME derived from each milk sample was injected into a gas chromatograph, a total of 9 corresponding FA were separated and detected. The FA portion was found to constitute more than 85% of total fat. The content of C4-C12 short-chain FA was also found to be slightly different between the various brands of marketing pasteurized milk and milk powder (recon-stituted milk). I he content ot various r A in long-liie milk is essentially similar to pasteurized milk; in flavored milk obvious differences were found due to a variety of additives blended. Raw cow and goat milk contain more short-chain FA than human milk.