Human Milk Processing and Its Effect on Protein and Leptin Concentrations

(1) Background: For the storage of human milk (HM), freezing, thawing, and/or pasteurization are routinely used in neonatal intensive care units. We aimed to analyze the effects of different HM processing types on the nutritional contents in HM, adipose tissue, and the neuroprotection markers leptin...

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Main Authors: Christoph Binder, Sabina Baumgartner-Parzer, Liliana-Imi Gard, Angelika Berger, Alexandra Thajer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-01-01
Series:Nutrients
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/2/347
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author Christoph Binder
Sabina Baumgartner-Parzer
Liliana-Imi Gard
Angelika Berger
Alexandra Thajer
author_facet Christoph Binder
Sabina Baumgartner-Parzer
Liliana-Imi Gard
Angelika Berger
Alexandra Thajer
author_sort Christoph Binder
collection DOAJ
description (1) Background: For the storage of human milk (HM), freezing, thawing, and/or pasteurization are routinely used in neonatal intensive care units. We aimed to analyze the effects of different HM processing types on the nutritional contents in HM, adipose tissue, and the neuroprotection markers leptin and adiponectin. (2) Methods: HM samples from 136 mothers of preterm and term infants (gestational age 23 + 0 to 41 + 6) were collected and divided into four groups: (i) fresh HM, (ii) fresh pasteurized HM, (iii) thawed HM, and (iv) thawed pasteurized HM. The macronutrients were analyzed by mid-infrared transmission spectroscopy and the adiponectin and leptin were analyzed by high-sensitivity adiponectin and leptin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). (3) Results: No significant differences were observed in the protein, carbohydrate, or fat concentrations between the HM processing types. The leptin levels were significantly lower after pasteurization in comparison to HM without pasteurization (<i>p</i> < 0.001). The protein levels in extremely preterm HM were significantly lower compared to those in moderate/late preterm HM and term HM (<i>p</i> < 0.05). (4) Conclusions: HM processing had an impact on leptin concentrations but no effect on the protein level. These data support the use of unpasteurized human milk for preterm infants’ nutrition and normal brain development. The protein levels of the milk of mothers from preterm compared to full-term infants differed, underlining the importance of individualized target fortification.
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spelling doaj.art-937d8fbec1134632b54b086a4f42931c2023-11-30T23:50:22ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432023-01-0115234710.3390/nu15020347Human Milk Processing and Its Effect on Protein and Leptin ConcentrationsChristoph Binder0Sabina Baumgartner-Parzer1Liliana-Imi Gard2Angelika Berger3Alexandra Thajer4Comprehensive Center for Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, AustriaDivision of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, AustriaDivision of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, AustriaComprehensive Center for Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, AustriaComprehensive Center for Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria(1) Background: For the storage of human milk (HM), freezing, thawing, and/or pasteurization are routinely used in neonatal intensive care units. We aimed to analyze the effects of different HM processing types on the nutritional contents in HM, adipose tissue, and the neuroprotection markers leptin and adiponectin. (2) Methods: HM samples from 136 mothers of preterm and term infants (gestational age 23 + 0 to 41 + 6) were collected and divided into four groups: (i) fresh HM, (ii) fresh pasteurized HM, (iii) thawed HM, and (iv) thawed pasteurized HM. The macronutrients were analyzed by mid-infrared transmission spectroscopy and the adiponectin and leptin were analyzed by high-sensitivity adiponectin and leptin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). (3) Results: No significant differences were observed in the protein, carbohydrate, or fat concentrations between the HM processing types. The leptin levels were significantly lower after pasteurization in comparison to HM without pasteurization (<i>p</i> < 0.001). The protein levels in extremely preterm HM were significantly lower compared to those in moderate/late preterm HM and term HM (<i>p</i> < 0.05). (4) Conclusions: HM processing had an impact on leptin concentrations but no effect on the protein level. These data support the use of unpasteurized human milk for preterm infants’ nutrition and normal brain development. The protein levels of the milk of mothers from preterm compared to full-term infants differed, underlining the importance of individualized target fortification.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/2/347pasteurizationfreezingthawinghuman milkproteinleptin
spellingShingle Christoph Binder
Sabina Baumgartner-Parzer
Liliana-Imi Gard
Angelika Berger
Alexandra Thajer
Human Milk Processing and Its Effect on Protein and Leptin Concentrations
Nutrients
pasteurization
freezing
thawing
human milk
protein
leptin
title Human Milk Processing and Its Effect on Protein and Leptin Concentrations
title_full Human Milk Processing and Its Effect on Protein and Leptin Concentrations
title_fullStr Human Milk Processing and Its Effect on Protein and Leptin Concentrations
title_full_unstemmed Human Milk Processing and Its Effect on Protein and Leptin Concentrations
title_short Human Milk Processing and Its Effect on Protein and Leptin Concentrations
title_sort human milk processing and its effect on protein and leptin concentrations
topic pasteurization
freezing
thawing
human milk
protein
leptin
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/2/347
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AT sabinabaumgartnerparzer humanmilkprocessinganditseffectonproteinandleptinconcentrations
AT lilianaimigard humanmilkprocessinganditseffectonproteinandleptinconcentrations
AT angelikaberger humanmilkprocessinganditseffectonproteinandleptinconcentrations
AT alexandrathajer humanmilkprocessinganditseffectonproteinandleptinconcentrations