Effect of storage process on nutritive properties of preterm human milk

Abstract

Freeze storage and pasteurization of human milk are common treatments in milk banks. However, thermal treatment changes milk quality for preterm infants’ nutrition. Therefore, this paper aimed to examine preterm human milk's nutritional profile and antioxidant potential after storage, pasteurization, and after supplementation with a fortifier. The effects of storage processes were estimated on the mature preterm milk of 30 breastfeeding women. Total proteins, lipids, and lactose were determined after thermal processing and supplementing mature preterm milk with a fortifier. The ferric-reducing antioxidant potential method and lipid peroxidation inhibition assay determined the antioxidant capacity. Protein concentration decreased after frozen storage and pasteurization (p<0.05). Pasteurization further reduced the lipid concentration after freezing. The ferric-reducing antioxidant potential decreased after thermal treatments (p<0.05). Supplementing mature milk with a fortifier increased the concentration of proteins, lipids, and lactose. Our findings demonstrated that storage and pasteurization processes affect preterm human milk's basic nutritional composition and antioxidant capacity. To ensure adequate nutrition for preterm infants with preterm human milk, supplementation, especially with high concentrations of proteins and lipids, is necessary after thermal treatments.

Keywords

• preterm human milk
• pasteurization
• freeze storage