Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Effects of human milk fortifier on the antimicrobial properties of human milk

Journal of Perinatology volume 26, pages 761–763 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To evaluate the effects of addition of human milk (HM) fortifier and iron on the anti-infective properties of HM.

Study design:

HM samples were collected from 28 lactating mothers who delivered prematurely, within the first week of post-natal life. HM fortifier Eoprotin was used. The effects of this fortifier against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans were evaluated using a filter paper method. The measurements were repeated with pure HM, fortified HM and iron-added HM.

Results:

HM inhibited the growth of S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa and Candida. Addition of HM fortifier did not result in any significant difference on this effect. The addition of iron to HM reduced antimicrobial effect against all three bacteria and the Candida.

Conclusion:

Premature HM has strong antimicrobial activity and addition of the milk fortifier Eoprotin does not change this effect, but addition of iron reduces this antimicrobial activity.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Narayanan I, Prakash K, Gujral V . The value of human milk in the prevention of infection in the high risk low birth weight infant. J Pediatr 1981; 99: 496–498.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Hylander MA, Storbino DM, Dhanireddy R . Human milk feedings and infection among the very low birth weight infants. Pediatrics 1998; 102: E38.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Chan GM . Effects of powdered human milk fortifiers on the antibacterial actions of human milk. J Perinatol 2003; 23: 620–623.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Jocson MA, Mason EO, Schanler RJ . The effects of nutrient fortification and varying storage conditions on host defense properties of human milk. Pediatrics 1997; 100 (Part1): 325–328.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Isaacs CE, Litov RE, Thormar H . Antimicrobial activity of lipids added to human milk, infant formula and bovine milk. J Nutr Biochem 1995; 6: 362–366.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Santiago MS, Codipilly CN, Potak DC, Schanler RJ . Effect of human milk fortifier on bacterial growth in human milk. J Perinatol 2005; 10: 647–649.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Telang S, Berseth CL, Ferguson PW, Kinder JM, DeRoin M, Petschow BW . Fortyfying fresh human milk with commercial powdered milk fortifiers does not affect bacterial growth during 6 hours at room temperature. J Am Diet Assoc 2005; 105: 1567–1572.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Andersson Y, Linquist S, Largerqist C, Hernell O . Lactoferrin is responsible for the fungistatic effect of human milk. Early Hum Dev 2000; 59: 95–105.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Arnold RR, Cole MF, McGhee JR . A bactericidal effect for human lactoferrin. Science 1977; 197: 263–265.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. F Ovalı

    Present address: Zeynep Kamil Maternity and Children's Hospital, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, İstanbul, Turkey

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Afyon Kocatepe University, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey

    F Ovalı & A Bükülmez

  2. Department of Microbiology, Afyon Kocatepe University, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey

    İH Çiftçi & Z Çetinkaya

Authors
  1. F Ovalı
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. İH Çiftçi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Z Çetinkaya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A Bükülmez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to F Ovalı.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ovalı, F., Çiftçi, İ., Çetinkaya, Z. et al. Effects of human milk fortifier on the antimicrobial properties of human milk. J Perinatol 26, 761–763 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7211610

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7211610

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links