It is well documented that breast milk offers babies protection from a number of illnesses. Low birth weight babies who have breast milk are less likely to develop necrotising enterocolitis. Ideally the birth mother should supply the milk but sometimes she is unable and a supply of milk needs to be sourced elsewhere. In 2008 Mercy Hospital for Women began the process of developing Victoria's 1st donor breast milk bank. Offering a product such as breast milk raises significant questions that pertain to Infection Control. The question of most importance is in determining if breast milk is a food or a body fluid.
The ultimate goal has been to develop a quality product that supports the premise that breast milk is best. The end product should pose no risk to the recipient and needs to satisfy all legal, medical and ethical issues.
The handling, refrigeration and pasteurisation process has met all local and state guidelines for the management of a food product. Donor selection, to reduce risk of blood borne pathogens has been considered and all donors are fully screened. Donors maintain cold chain management of a food product. Microbiological batch testing of donor milk is performed pre and post pasteurisation.
The final pasteurised product is of a high quality and maintains many of the health benefits of correct fat/protein ratio and most maternal antibodies. Pathogens are removed from the donor milk during the pasteurisation process. The Mercy Health Breast Milk Bank is now open for business.