title: Bacterial contamination of expressed breast milk.
abstract: In a study of breast milk collected into sterile bottles rinsed in 1% hypochlorite solution the hypochlorite solution adherent to the sides of the bottles apparently caused a large reduction in bacterial contamination of the milk after storage at 4 degrees C for up to four hours. Heating expressed breast milk at 62.5 degrees C for five minutes destroyed over 90% of the Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and group B beta-haemolytic streptococci inoculated into the milk samples. Rinsing collecting bottles with hypochlorite solution may be valuable in collecting milk with a low bacterial content for human-milk banks. Furthermore, the currently accepted pasteurisation time of 30 minutes may be excessive.
mesh_terms: D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000382:microbiology*; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000295:instrumentation; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000254:growth & development; D013242:Sterilization / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000254:growth & development