Temperature curve of raw human milk heated by different methods: experimental study

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nutritional Science
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Accurate warming of human milk is critical for neonatal nutrition and safety.
• Different heating methods and volumes may affect the final temperature and nutritional integrity of human milk.
• Understanding thermal behavior is essential for clinical practice in neonatal intensive care units.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the temperature curves of raw or pasteurized human milk subjected to various heating methods.
• To determine the optimal heating conditions for human milk in a clinical setting.

Main Methods:

• Human milk samples (5-100 ml) were heated using water bath and microwave methods between 2016 and 2021.
• Temperature changes were recorded over time for different volumes and heating settings.
• Descriptive statistics were employed to analyze the thermal data.

Main Results:

• Water bath and microwave heating brought human milk close to body temperature.
• Human milk heated in a water bath at 40°C reached body temperature within 3-5 minutes for smaller volumes.
• Microwave heating at 50% power effectively heated nearly all tested volumes to the target temperature.
• Room temperature (21°C) did not achieve adequate warming.

Conclusions:

• Temperature curves for human milk were successfully constructed for different heating methods.
• The study provides data on human milk heating behavior, considering volume, method, time, and temperature.
• Findings are applicable to the administration of human milk in neonatal intensive care units.