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The Effect of Donor Human Milk Fortification on The Adhesion of Probiotics In Vitro
Anastasia Mantziari1, Satu Tölkkö1, Artur C Ouwehand2
1Functional Foods Forum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku, Itäinen Pitkäkatu 4A, 20520 Turku, Finland.
Insights
Pasteurized donor human milk (DHM) and fortified DHM (FDHM) do not affect probiotic adhesion to infant mucus. This finding is crucial for developing effective probiotic interventions for preterm infants, optimizing their gut health and development.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal nutrition and microbiology
- Gastrointestinal health in infants
Background:
- Preterm delivery complications are a leading cause of mortality in children under five.
- Preventive strategies involve donor human milk (DHM), fortification, and probiotics.
- Understanding probiotic-host interactions is vital for optimizing infant gut health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of fortified donor human milk (FDHM) on probiotic adhesion.
- To assess how different human milk fortifier forms (liquid, powdered) affect probiotic adherence.
- To evaluate the influence of storage conditions on probiotic-DHM interactions.
Main Methods:
- Two probiotic strains were tested with DHM and FDHM (liquid/powdered fortifiers).
- Probiotic adhesion was measured using immobilized infant fecal mucus.
- Adhesion was quantified via liquid scintillation following incubation at 4°C for 24 hours.
Main Results:
- Neither liquid nor powdered human milk fortifiers significantly altered probiotic adhesion to infant mucus.
- Probiotic adhesion was higher when suspended in buffer compared to DHM or FDHM.
- Storage conditions (4°C for 24h) did not negatively impact adhesion.
Conclusions:
- Fortification of DHM does not impede the mucus adhesion of commonly used probiotics.
- Further research into alternative matrices for probiotic delivery may be warranted.
- These findings inform the design of future probiotic interventions for preterm infants.
Abstract:
Preterm delivery complications are the primary cause of death among children under the age of five. Preventive strategies include the use of pasteurized donor human milk (DHM), its fortification with human milk fortifiers (protein supplements), and supplementation with probiotics. Our aim was to examine the impact of DHM and fortified DHM (FDHM) on the mucus adhesion properties of two widely used probiotics. The study covered two forms of human milk fortifier, liquid and powdered, with or without probiotics and storage at 4 °C for 24 h. To test the adhesion properties of the probiotic strains, DHM+probiotics and FDHM+probiotics were prepared and added to immobilized mucus isolated from the stool of healthy Finnish infants. The probiotic adhesion was then measured by liquid scintillation. Our results suggest that addition of liquid or powdered human milk fortifier in donor human milk had no impact on probiotic adhesion. In addition, given the increased adhesion of probiotics suspended in buffer, other matrices should be further studied. These factors need to be considered when designing future intervention strategies using probiotics in preterm infants.
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