The effects of storage conditions on long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, lipid mediators, and antioxidants in donor human milk — A review

• Published in: Prostaglandins, leukotrienes and essential fatty acids leukotrienes and essential fatty acids, 2019-10, Vol.149, p.8-17
• Main Authors: Nessel, Isabell, Khashu, Minesh, Dyall, Simon C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antioxidants; Antioxidants - analysis; Ascorbic Acid - analysis; Docosahexaenoic acid; Donor human milk; Endocannabinoids - analysis; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated - analysis; Female; Food Storage - methods; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature; Lipid mediators; Lipid Peroxidation; Milk Banks; Milk, Human - chemistry; Omega-3 fatty acids; Preterm; Vitamin E - analysis
• ISSN: 0952-3278; 1532-2823
• DOI: 10.1016/j.plefa.2019.07.009

•Donor human milk is the preferred alternative for feeding preterm infants, if maternal milk is unavailable or insufficient; however, extensive storage and processing negatively affects the nutritional composition and may increase lipid peroxidation.•This review summarises, for the first time, the effects of storage and processing conditions on the total fat, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, lipid mediators, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant content of donor human milk.•This review also provides recommendations to mitigate some of the negative effects of storage and processing on donor human milk. Donor human milk (DHM) is the recommended alternative, if maternal milk is unavailable. However, current human milk banking practices may negatively affect the nutritional quality of DHM. This review summarises the effects of these practices on polyunsaturated fatty acids, lipid mediators and antioxidants of human milk. Overall, there is considerable variation in the reported effects, and further research is needed, particularly with lipid mediators and antioxidants. However, to preserve nutritional quality, DHM should be protected from light exposure and storage at 4 °C minimised, to prevent decreases in vitamin C and endocannabinoids and increases in free fatty acids and lipid peroxidation products. Storage at -20 °C prior to pasteurisation should also be minimised, to prevent free fatty increases and total fat and endocannabinoid decreases. Storage ≤-70 °C is preferable wherever possible, although post-pasteurisation storage at -20 °C for three months appears safe for free fatty acids, lipid peroxidation products, and total fat content.