Macronutrient and Bioactive Profiles of Donor Milk Differ in Commercial vs Non-Profit Milk Banks

TL;DR

This study compares the nutritional and bioactive content of donor human milk from commercial and non-profit milk banks, finding differences in macronutrients and IgA.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into the variability of macronutrient and bioactive profiles in donor milk from different sources.

Findings

Protein concentration was similar between commercial and non-profit donor milk banks.

Carbohydrates, fat, calories, and cortisol were higher in commercial donor milk.

IgA concentrations varied significantly by product type and were lower in commercial donor milk.

Abstract

The objective was to explore variation of macronutrient and bioactive content between levels of human milk-derived human milk fortifier (HM-HMF), and between donor human milk (DHM) from commercial vs non-profit banks.

We analyzed the concentration of macronutrients, Immunoglobulin A (IgA), and cortisol in multiple lots of each HM-HMF product (20, 24, 26, 28, and 30 kcal/oz) using multiple methods.

At each level of caloric density (p<0.0001), protein, carbohydrate, and caloric concentration in HM-HMF increased with minor exceptions while fat and cortisol concentrations did not differ. Total IgA concentrations differed by product type (p <0.0001). Protein concentration did not differ between commercial and non-profit donor milk banks while carbohydrates, fat, calories, and cortisol were higher, and IgA was lower. Lot-to-lot variability of all DHM components was lower in commercial DHM.

This study expands data on the variability in the composition of DHM originating from various sources.

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