Human milk microbiome: From actual knowledge to future perspective
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 28, 2025

Individualized Reconstitution of Human Milk Microbiota: A Feasible Approach in Real-World Settings
Published on: February 7, 2025
Marta Selma-Royo1, Joaquim Calvo Lerma1, Erika Cortés-Macías1
1Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, Spanish National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), Valencia (Spain).
Abstract:
Human milk is the gold standard for infant nutrition during the first months of life since it is perfectly adapted to the neonatal nutritional requirements and supports infant growth and development. Human milk contains a complex nutritional and bioactive composition including microorganisms and oligosaccharides which would also contribute to the gut and immune system maturation. Despite the growing evidence, the factors contributing to milk microbes' variations and the potential functions on the infant's gut are still uncovered. This short-review provides a general overview of milk microbiota, potential factors shaping its composition, contribution to the infant microbiota and immune system development, including the suggested biological relevance for infant health as well as the description of tools and strategies aimed to restore and module microbes in milk.
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