Human Milk Processing — What Does That Mean?
Once milk is collected it is processed to ensure safety of the product. HMBANA collaborated with the FDA and the CDC when developing procedures to help ensure safety of the process. Below are the steps that occur at the milk bank to process the milk and prepare it for shipping back to hospitals and individuals in need.
- Scrubbing – Hands are washed before handling product.
- Pouring – Donated milk is transferred into glass flask.
- Mixing and Pooling – Human milk from 3-5 mothers is mixed to ensure evenly mixed.
- Filling Bottles – Milk is transferred to smaller containers, usually 4oz-8oz bottles.
- Pasteurizing – Milk is heated to eliminate bacteria. Majority of the beneficial human milk components are left behind.
- Lab Testing – After the pasteurization process, milk samples are taken and cultured. All contaminated milk is discarded.
- Distribution – Once the cultures come back clear after milk has been pasteurized, it is ready to be distributed to hospitals and individuals.