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Summary
Refrigerated expressed breast milk remains bacteriologically safe for up to 48 hours. Bacterial counts did not significantly change during this storage period, indicating safety for infant consumption.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infant Nutrition
- Lactation Studies
Background:
- Expressed breast milk (EBM) is crucial for infant nutrition.
- Understanding the bacterial safety of stored EBM is vital for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the bacteriologic content of expressed breast milk (EBM) after refrigeration.
- To determine the safety of refrigerating EBM for up to 48 hours.
Main Methods:
- Bacteriologic analysis of EBM from 30 mothers.
- Colony counts were measured at expression, and after 24 and 48 hours of refrigeration.
- Comparison of bacterial counts between home and hospital expression settings.
Main Results:
- All EBM samples contained Staphylococcus epidermidis; eight other species, including four gram-negative, were also identified.
- Mean bacterial colony counts remained below 10(6) colonies/ml throughout the 48-hour refrigeration period.
- No significant differences in bacterial counts were observed between the time intervals or expression locations.
Conclusions:
- Refrigerated expressed breast milk is bacteriologically safe for up to 48 hours.
- Standard refrigeration practices maintain the safety of EBM for infant feeding.