Researchers compared 100 human breastmilk samples purchased online from milk-sharing websites with 20 unpasteurized samples donated by a milk bank. Each sample underwent viral and bacterial analysis. The internet samples were significantly more likely to harbor bacteria, including pathogenic species such as Staphylococcus species and Gram-negative bacteria (63% vs. 25% and 72% vs. 35%, respectively). The authors suggest the internet sample contamination is due to poor collection, storage, or shipping practices.
PositiveTip: Mothers seeking to purchase breastmilk should be very careful in selecting sources.