Effect of storage of breast milk on its chemical composition

ABSTRACT

The aim of this work was to study the effect of storage of breast milk on some of its chemical constituents. Three expressed breast milk samples were collected from each of 61 healthy lactating mothers for determination of total proteins, fat, lactose and zinc content as well as vitamins C, A and E concentrations. The first sample was analyzed immediately without storage, the second after storage for 24 hours in first shelf of refrigerator [4C], while the third after storage for one week in a home freezer [-4 to -8C]. The results revealed that storage of expressed breast milk [EBM] for 24 hours in first shelf of refrigerator [4C] and for one week in home freezer [-4 to -8C] caused a statistically significant decline in all of the studied nutrients, except for zinc content. Despite this decline after storage, the composition of the stored breast milk was still within the ranges of the international reference of mature breast milk composition