Ultrasound Technology as a Method for Homogenizing Human Milk

Abstract

Background: The lipid content of human milk is its most variable component and provides from 35 to<br />50% of the daily energy needs of newborns. Losses occur during the freezing and thawing processes<br />due to the coalescence of the fat globules and their adherence to bottle walls. Objectives: The objective<br />was to test two methods of homogenizing pasteurized human milk in human milk banks in order to<br />reduce the nutritional losses that occur between storage and feeding to newborns. Methods: Human<br />milk samples collected in duplicate were homogenized either by sonication (MIRIS, Sweden) or vortex<br />tube agitation. A total of 941 milk samples of different lactation stages from the human milk bank in<br />Blumenau (SC, Brazil) were analyzed. A human milk analyzer (MIRIS, Sweden) was used to determine<br />lipid content after homogenization. The statistical significance adopted in this study was α = 5%. Results:<br />A mean of 1.87 grams of lipids per deciliter (g/dL) was observed in vortex-homogenized milk, whereas<br />ultrasound homogenization yielded a mean of 2.07 g/dL, p < 0.01. The mean energy value of vortexhomogenized<br />milk was 33.36 Kcal/dL, compared to 35.81 Kcal/dL for ultrasound-homogenized milk, p <<br />0.01. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that there is energy loss when human milk is not properly<br />homogenized before being fed to newborns; better homogenization techniques decrease the adherence<br />of fat globules to the bottle walls.