The American company Biomilk announces that it has breast milk that is much more nutritious than current alternative formulas and produced from human breast cells. If the synthesis of human breast milk is still too complex to be imitated, this new advance would be the closest to it according to the company.
Whether by choice or by obligation, some mothers cannot breastfeed their child naturally. This is why there are alternatives. Infant milks, artificial milks, 1st age milks, infant formulas, 2nd age baby milks… the options on the shelves are numerous. These formulas are developed to meet the nutritional needs of children during the first months of life. They are generally made from cow's milk that has undergone some processing to ease their digestion.
These infant milks are composed in such a way as to approximate as closely as possible the nutritional qualities of breast milk. However, human milk is incredibly complex in composition and structure, which has made it impossible to replicate outside of the nursing parent.
In this sense, the American company Biomilk announces that it has made a breakthrough by relying on the use of human breast cells . In this way, the researchers explain that they were able to produce an abundance of beneficial macronutrients (in particular oligosaccharides) absent from the alternative formulas. According to BIOMILQ, the production process would also be much better for the environment.
"Our latest work demonstrates that much of the complexity of milk can be achieved by replicating the intricate relationship between the cells that produce it and the conditions that they undergo inside the body during lactation “, details cell biologist Leila Strickland, co-founder and chief scientific officer of the company.
This one explains that she initially considered producing breastmilk outside the body when she was struggling to breastfeed her own children.
Naturally, although this milk is created from human cells, it does not yet perfectly mimic the composition of natural breast milk which comes as a unique cocktail nutrients, antibodies and proteins that the mother produces throughout lactation. In addition, the composition of real breast milk differs from mother to mother . So formula and lab-grown milk will probably never replicate such complexity, but Biomilk's alternative is the closest the company says.
It should be noted, however, that no studies focused on the manufacturing process or the product itself have yet been published. That said, confident in its new approach, the Biomilk team is now paying attention to the regulations inherent in the safety and effectiveness of its product before it can enter supermarket shelves. It will also have to optimize the manufacturing process in order to meet demand.
