Comparative analysis of different methods for protein quantification in donated human milk.

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Nutrition
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Human milk is optimal for newborns, especially premature infants.
• Donor human milk is a viable alternative when mother's milk is unavailable.
• Nutritional fortification of human milk is often necessary to meet infant needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the concordance of two novel analyzers (mid-infrared and ultrasound) with the Bradford method for human milk protein quantification.
• To assess the feasibility of implementing faster, simpler analyzers in neonatal healthcare settings.
• To determine the accuracy of MIRIS-HMA and ultrasound methods for protein analysis in donor human milk.

Main Methods:

• Protein concentration in 142 donor human milk samples was measured using mid-infrared (MIRIS-HMA), ultrasound (MilkoScope), and Bradford assays.
• Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman plots were employed to assess method agreement.
• Milk samples were collected and pasteurized at a human milk bank.

Main Results:

• Mean protein concentrations were 1.38 g/100ml (MIRIS-HMA), 1.15 g/100ml (MilkoScope), and 1.19 g/100ml (Bradford).
• MIRIS-HMA demonstrated a higher ICC (0.70) compared to MilkoScope (0.37) when correlated with the Bradford method.
• MIRIS-HMA showed superior agreement with the reference Bradford assay.

Conclusions:

• MIRIS-HMA is a promising method for accurate human milk protein analysis, aligning well with the Bradford technique.
• The findings support the development of new devices based on mid-infrared transmission spectroscopy for neonatal applications.
• MIRIS-HMA offers a reliable approach for protein quantification, crucial for optimizing fortified human milk for vulnerable infants.