Pasteurizing Mother’s Milk for the NICU and
Human Milk Bank
Preparation Procedures

Human milk is the perfect food for human babies.  When those babies are born too early, or are critically ill, human breast milk with all the protective factors it contains, can make the difference between life and death.   Although breast milk from the baby's own mother is clearly the number one choice, occasionally there is a need to pasteurize her breast milk due to unacceptably high numbers of colony forming units of pathogens. CMV, Staphylococcus aureus (sometimes the cause of mastitis) and other pathogens cause concern when the baby is fragile and susceptible to infection, and breast milk bacteria.  Pasteurizing mother’s milk for her own baby provides an interim solution and preserves the bond that providing breast milk provides.  We are proud to offer the latest technology in human milk pasteurizers, made by Sterifeed.  A special setting on the pasteurizer provides the exact time and temperature to provide a legal pasteurization process while the rapid cooling helps preserve the human milk proteins that are so important to a hospitalized baby.

Pasteurizing preterm formula or fortifier and breast milk

No formula can replace human milk, but when mom's milk is not available, preterm formula is used in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit.)  Concerns about a bacteria called Enterobacter Sakazaki, appearing in some samples of infant formula has prompted many neonatal intensive care units to eliminate powdered infant formulas altogether.  We have found that many hospitals have been unable to completely eliminate the powdered formula or they utilize various powdered formula products in combination with mother’s milk.  Mixing these powdered formula products with mother’s milk has created added concern for safety.  Hospitals have expressed an interest in pasteurizing these admixtures prior to feeding.  The Sterifeed line of pasteurizers feature a special setting designed for pasteurizing infant formula or a combination of formula and human milk. 

Human breast milk contains valuable anti-infective components and the majority of them are preserved through rapid cooling after the pasteurization cycle.  Total  submersion of the milk bottle (as required by proper pasteurization protocols) ensures that the entire milk sample has been subjected to the proper times and temperatures consistent with legal pasteurization.  Without total submersion, milk samples can potentially contain lethal levels of pathogens that are most dangerous for immune compromised neonates.

With the help of Combined Medical Devices, hospital neonatal intensive care units can provide an extra measure of safety by ensuring that human milk and infant formula (or a combination of both) will be safe and wholesome for the pre-term babies who need it the most.

Combined Medical Products will provide training for all hospital staff involved in pasteurizing human milk as well as infant formula.  For hospitals that have not yet converted to sterile, liquid formula, pasteurization provides the extra measure of safety that preemies require. 

We are a research based company and we value the extensive research conducted by Sterifeed.  Ask about the validation studies that form the basis of the product line.  We will be happy to provide the data you value and require so that you can provide the optimum care for your fragile infants.