Chemical Contaminants in Raw and Pasteurized Human Milk.
Jennifer C Hartle, Ronald S Cohen, Pauline Sakamoto and 2 others
PMID 29601252WHAT IT FOUND
In 21 donated human milk samples, 19 of 23 chemicals were detected in every sample before pasteurization.
Pasteurization left most chemicals largely stable, but reduced chlorpyrifos and permethrin. This does not show breastfeeding is harmful, and it does not advise against breastfeeding.
Key findings
01In 21 donated human milk samples, 19 of 23 chemicals were detected in all prepasteurization samples, and 18 of 23 chemicals were detected in all postpasteurization samples.
02Pasteurization left most chemicals largely stable, but chlorpyrifos and permethrin had statistically significant reductions, with median concentrations falling by 82% and 62%.
03The percentage of samples with detectable chlorpyrifos fell from 100% to 52%, and the percentage with detectable permethrin fell from 90% to 67%.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only 21 samples were tested, so the results cannot describe typical chemical levels across all mothers. Milk bank donors were screened, unpaid, excluded if taking most medications or smoking, and none were less than 25 years old; they were less likely Hispanic than California women giving birth (14% vs close to 50%). No infant health outcomes, formula levels, or safety standards were measured. The study detected chemicals in milk but did not establish infant exposure levels or clinical harm.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that breastfeeding exposes infants to unsafe chemical levels or that mothers should pasteurize their own milk. This small sample study detected chemicals but did not measure infant health outcomes or compare with safety standards, and the authors did not advocate pasteurization of nondonor milk.