Development of Methods for Enhance Human Milk Presentation During Storage and Warming

Human milk (HM) is more than a food complex; in addition to micronutrients and human-coded bioactive complexes it also includes many antioxidants, antibacterial, prebiotics, probiotics, immune-boosting constituents, and many other bioactive components. Some of these components may deteriorate during storage, and expressed EHM starts deteriorating as soon as it leaves the breast. Nevertheless, whenever nursing at the breast or feeding of fresh EHM is not possible, feeding of stored EHM is considered the next best thing to feeding at the breast. Efficient heat transfer abilities affect both heating and cooling processes. In this study the investigators wish to test a new device that permits rapid heating and cooling processes. The investigators plan to measure some thermolabile constituents of HM in order to determine whether they might be protected by a more gentle warming process. The investigators plan to collect milk from mother, to mix it and to test the effect of storage and heating. This experiment is design to test the feasibility and the efficiency of the device.