Breast milk powder has been a hot issue in the community of child health professionals and mothers lately. The invention of powdered breast milk has become a desirable alternative as more and more women return to work and find it difficult to give breast milk directly.

Both advantages and disadvantages accompany the introduction of new inventions. Also, this substitute for powdered breast milk works just as well. The pros and cons of giving powdered breast milk can help you decide whether to give it or warmed breast milk when you cannot give breast milk directly

Powdered breast milk and its processing

Powdered breast milk is the result of a drying process involving refrigeration, during which the entire water content of the milk is eliminated. This procedure is referred to as freeze drying or lyophilization.

The freeze drying process is implemented to transform fresh breast milk into a powdered form. Following the collection of breast milk with a sterile breast pump, the fresh milk is frozen to preserve its quality. The temperature at which collected breast milk is frozen is approximately -40°C or lower.

The frozen breast milk is then placed into a lyophilization process. This device produces a vacuum so that breast milk ice evaporates straight away rather than passing through the liquid phase. The drying process begins when most of the water in the form of ice has been eliminated. Despite the higher temperature, this procedure is carried out at a level below the point at which vital components in breast milk degrade.

Not only does the final drying process ensure that there is minimal water in the powdered breast milk, but it also stops bacteria from growing and increases the period of storage. The dried breast milk that is made must be kept in a container that doesn't let air in so that it doesn't get contaminated or exposed to humidity in the air.

Advantages of powdered breast milk

Overall, breast milk powder is a useful and helpful option for moms who want to make sure their babies keep getting the nutrition they need from breast milk. Using freeze drying to process breast milk has a number of benefits, such as:

• Helping working women who are unable to breastfeed directly to continue breastfeeding for longer
• The storage life of powdered breast milk is significantly greater than that of fresh or conventionally frozen milk. When stored correctly, powdered breast milk has an extended shelf life of three years and remains perishable—yes, even in the event of a power outage.
• Powdered breast milk avoids taste changes the baby may not enjoy.
• Instead of formula milk, powdered breast milk is a better choice.
• Most of the nutrients and antibodies in breast milk are retained when it is freeze dried. This means that babies can still get the most out of breast milk even if they do not consume it directly.

Disadvantages of powdered breast milk

Since powdered breast milk is a new idea, it needs more study. Here are some issues to consider:

• Powdered breast milk requires supervision and regulation from established regulatory and safety organizations like the FDA and BPOM.
• Freeze drying does not eliminate bacteria in breast milk, hence posing a potential risk for the growth of infection-causing bacteria.
• Several studies indicate that the carbohydrate and protein composition of breast milk remains unchanged following processing, although the primary antioxidants, such as vitamin C, decrease in amount.
• Re-dissolving breast milk can result in a more complicated procedure that potentially leads to an excessively thin or viscous consistency of the milk. Furthermore, it raises the risk of health complications, including hazardously low sodium levels.
• The conversion of fresh or frozen breast milk to powdered breast milk is a very costly process.

Powdered breast milk is a new idea that could be a very useful option in the future. However, more study is still needed to help make it safer and more useful. Before using the freeze-drying service to turn breast milk into powdered breast milk, it is necessary to give careful consideration to the possibilities. If you need medical advice or consultation, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.

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