Point-of-care human milk concentration by passive osmosis: comprehensive analysis of fresh human milk samples

Elizabeth R Schinkel; Elizabeth R Nelson; Jae H Kim; Maryanne T Perrin; Roger Dyer; Rajavel Elango; Lars Bode; David C Dallas; Jiraporn Lueangsakulthai; Carrie-Ellen Briere; Sarah N Taylor

doi:10.1038/s41372-024-01988-2

Point-of-care human milk concentration by passive osmosis: comprehensive analysis of fresh human milk samples

J Perinatol. 2024 May 17. doi: 10.1038/s41372-024-01988-2. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Mother's Milk is Best Inc., R&D, 100 Business Park Drive, Unit #5, Tyngsboro, MA, 01879, USA. beth@mothersmilkisbest.com.
² Mother's Milk is Best Inc., R&D, 100 Business Park Drive, Unit #5, Tyngsboro, MA, 01879, USA. elizabeth.nelson@mothersmilkisbest.com.
³ Perinatal Institute, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.
⁴ Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, 27412, USA.
⁵ Analytical Core for Metabolomics and Nutrition, British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada.
⁶ Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6H, 3V4, Canada.
⁷ Bode Lab, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA.
⁸ Dallas Lab, Nutrition Program, College of Health, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA.
⁹ Briere Lab, Elaine Marieb College of Nursing, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.
¹⁰ Institute for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice, Connecticut Children's, Hartford, CT, 06106, US.
¹¹ Division of Neonatology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.

PMID: 38760580
DOI: 10.1038/s41372-024-01988-2

Abstract

Objective: Preterm infants need enrichment of human milk (HM) for optimal growth. This study evaluated a novel, point-of-care human milk concentration (HMC) process for water removal from fresh HM samples by passive osmotic concentration.

Study design: Nineteen fresh HM samples were concentrated by incubation with the HMC devices for 3 h at 4 °C. Pre- and post-concentration HM samples were compared by HM properties for: pH, osmolality, macronutrients, enzyme activity, bioactive, and total cell viability.

Results: Passive osmotic concentration reduced HM volume by an average of 16.3% ± 3.8% without a significant effect on pH or cell viability. Ten of the 41 HM components did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) between pre- and post-concentration samples. Twenty-three increased within the expected range by volume reduction. Six increased more than expected, two less than expected, and none decreased significantly.

Conclusion: Passive osmotic concentration of fresh HM can concentrate HM components by selective removal of water. HM osmolality and pH remained within neonatal feeding parameters.