Search

Abstract Background Pharmacological intervention with laxatives is the conventional treatment for functional constipation (FC). Data to support the dietary management of FC is lacking. This study compared the efficacy of two Comfort young child formulas (YCFs) with regards to the maintenance of healthy stooling parameters in toddlers with a history of constipation. It was registered in the Netherlands Trial Registry [identifier: NL7420 (NTR7653)], registration date 20/09/2018. Methods Ninety-five healthy toddlers, aged 12 to 32 months, diagnosed with FC (Rome III criteria) were randomized to receive one of two study formulas after pharmacological treatment. For the first month of the intervention, subjects received a laxative in a decreasing maintenance dose alongside a test or control formula (maintenance phase). Subsequently, subjects only consumed formula for another month (post-maintenance phase). Stooling parameters were obtained weekly using the Bristol Stool Scale and the modified Rome III Questionnaire on Paediatric Gastrointestinal Symptoms for infants and toddlers. Differences in percentages of hard stools (primary outcome) and other stooling parameters were analysed using analysis of covariance and Chi-Square methods. Results Both formulas resulted in similar overall percentage of hard stools during the intervention period, respectively 5.02% in the test and 2.99% in the control group (n.s.). In the test group, percentages dropped from 7.11% at the end of the maintenance phase, to 3.92% at the end of the post-maintenance phase. In contrast, the percentage of hard stools in the control group was similar at the end of the maintenance (3.18%) and post-maintenance phase (2.83%; n.s.). No difference was found in the overall stool frequency between groups. At the end of the maintenance phase, only 22% and 19% of toddlers consuming the test and control formulae, respectively, met 2 or more of the criteria for FC. At the end of the study, this percentage of subjects decreased further to 9% in the test group, which tended to be lower compared to the 21% found in the control (p = 0.107). No laxative use was reported in either study group during the post-maintenance phase. Conclusion Both Comfort YCF support the maintenance of improved stooling over time in toddlers with a history of constipation. The percentage of subjects suffering from functional constipation tended to be lower after the intervention period when receiving the formula with intact protein.

Holder pasteurization (HoP) is the current recommended treatment for donor human milk. Although this method inactivates microbial contaminants, it also negatively affects various milk components. High-pressure processing (HPP, 400, 500, and 600 MPa), ultraviolet-C irradiation (UV-C, 2,430, 3,645, and 4,863 J/L) and thermoultrasonication (TUS, 1,080 and 1,620 kJ/L) were investigated as alternatives to thermal pasteurization (HoP). We assessed the effects of these methods on microbiological safety, and on concentration and functionality of immunoglobulin A, lactoferrin, lysozyme and bile salt-stimulated lipase, with LC-MS/MS-based proteomics and activity assays. HoP, HPP, TUS, and UV-C at 4863 J/L, achieved >5-log10 microbial reduction. Native protein levels and functionality showed the highest reduction following HoP, while no significant reduction was found after less intense HPP and all UV-C treatments. Immunoglobulin A, lactoferrin, and lysozyme contents were also preserved after low intensity TUS, but bile salt-stimulated lipase activity was significantly reduced. This study demonstrated that HPP and UV-C may be considered as suitable alternatives to HoP, since they were able to ensure sufficient microbial inactivation while at the same time better preserving the bioactive components of donor human milk. In summary, our results provide valuable insights regarding the evaluation and selection of suitable processing methods for donor human milk treatment, which may replace HoP in the future.

Donor human milk is generally processed by holder pasteurization (HoP) at 62. 5°C for 30 min. This temperature-time combination is sufficient for eliminating pathogens in donor milk, but also negatively affects several bioactive milk components. Long heating up times may further affect the bioactive properties of pasteurized milk. High-Temperature-Short-Time (HTST), a treatment with shorter processing times (72°C for 15 sec), was investigated as a suitable alternative to HoP. In addition, pasteurization methods that follow the same temperature regime but with varying heating up times were compared. Human milk samples from four different donors were combined into one pool, which was then used to perform all analyses. The effects of these methods on the levels and functionality of immunoglobulin A, lactoferrin, lysozyme and bile salt-stimulated lipase, were evaluated with LC-MS/MS-based proteomics and activity assays, while the pasteurization efficacy was evaluated with an alkaline phosphatase test. HoP, a treatment with long processing times, times, caused the highest reduction in all proteins studied (reduced by 50–98%). Compounds such as lactoferrin and bile salt-stimulated lipase that are more sensitive to heat treatments were better retained with HTST, but their levels and functionality were still significantly lower than those of untreated donor milk (52 and 81% reduction of lactoferrin and bile salt-stimulated lipase activity, respectively). Our findings showed that a treatment with considerably shorter processing times, such as HTST, may reduce the thermal damage caused to the bioactive proteins compared to HoP, without affecting pasteurization efficacy. Since the vast majority of the donor human milk banks that are currently operating on a global level apply HoP to donor milk, our findings may provide relevant information for the optimization of donor milk processing.

BackgroundProvision of donor human milk is handled by established human milk banks that implement all required measures to ensure its safety and quality. Detailed human milk banking guidelines on a European level are currently lacking, while the information available on the actual practices followed by the European human milk banks, remains limited. The aim of this study was to collect detailed data on the actual milk banking practices across Europe with particular emphasis on the practices affecting the safety and quality of donor human milk.Materials and methodsA web-based questionnaire was developed by the European Milk Bank Association (EMBA) Survey Group, for distribution to the European human milk banks. The questionnaire included 35 questions covering every step from donor recruitment to provision of donor human milk to each recipient. To assess the variation in practices, all responses were then analyzed for each country individually and for all human milk banks together.ResultsA total of 123 human milk banks completed the questionnaire, representing 85% of the European countries that have a milk bank. Both inter- and intra-country variation was documented for most milk banking practices. The highest variability was observed in pasteurization practices, storage and milk screening, both pre- and post-pasteurization.ConclusionWe show that there is a wide variability in milk banking practices across Europe, including practices that could further improve the efficacy of donor human milk banking. The findings of this study could serve as a tool for a global discussion on the efficacy and development of additional evidence-based guidelines that could further improve those practices.

Background: Since the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), many put their hopes in the rapid availability of effective immunizations. Human milk, containing antibodies against syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), may serve as means of protection through passive immunization. We aimed to determine the presence and pseudovirus neutralization capacity of SARS-CoV-2 specific IgA in human milk of mothers who recovered from COVID-19, and the effect of pasteurization on these antibodies. Methods: This prospective case control study included lactating mothers, recovered from (suspected) COVID-19 and healthy controls. Human milk and serum samples were collected. To assess the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies we used multiple complementary assays, namely ELISA with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (specific for IgA and IgG), receptor binding domain (RBD) and nucleocapsid (N) protein for IgG in serum, and bridging ELISA with the SARS-CoV-2 RBD and N protein for specific Ig (IgG, IgM and IgA in human milk and serum). To assess the effect of pasteurization, human milk was exposed to Holder (HoP) and High Pressure Pasteurization (HPP). Results: Human milk contained abundant SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in 83% of the proven cases and in 67% of the suspected cases. Unpasteurized milk with and without these antibodies was found to be capable of neutralizing a pseudovirus of SARS-CoV-2 in (97% and 85% of the samples respectively). After pasteurization, total IgA antibody levels were affected by HoP, while SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody levels were affected by HPP. Pseudovirus neutralizing capacity of the human milk samples was only retained with the HPP approach. No correlation was observed between milk antibody levels and neutralization capacity. Conclusions: Human milk from recovered COVID-19-infected mothers contains SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies which maintained neutralization capacity after HPP. All together this may represent a safe and effective immunization strategy after HPP.