Breast milk sellers are adding cow’s milk to their supplies a study has found.
A US hospital researcher and assistant professor at the Ohio State University College of Medicine purchased more than 100 samples of breast milk from online sellers.
But, unlike many mothers (including Australian women) who have milk delivered to feed their young children, researchers tested the samples and discovered one in 10 had been topped up with cow’s milk.
The study, published in the Journal of Pediatrics this week, found 10% of the milk tested contained traces of bovine DNA, as well as other forms of contamination.
The author of the study warned suppliers were cheating the system to increase the volume of their product to boost numbers and profits, to potentially devastating effects.
“If a baby with cow’s milk allergy were to drink this milk, it could be very harmful,” said Sarah Keim, co-author of the study.
“Babies need certain amounts of nutrients and fats that are included in formulas and in human breast milk, but not in regular cow’s milk; breast milk with added cow’s milk could be diluting essential nutrients,” Keim wrote in the report.
In a previous study conducted in 2013 by the same author, Keim also revealed that mothers selling their breast milk are often lying about their own heath and habits.
The study found that more than 75% of breast milk sampled from online stores contained viral strains and disease-causing bacilli such as salmonella. Other breast milk samples containing traces of medications and cigarette residues were found, despite online claims from mothers that say they were ‘smoke-free’, and ‘medication-free’.
Ads posted on Only The Breast one of many community supported breast milk selling sites. There is no suggestion these sellers are contaminating milk.
The popularity of these ‘breast milk banks’, however, are increasing steadily. A 2013 study in the Maternal and Child Health Journal revealed that one in five US mothers are searching for breast milk online due to medical or health concerns.
Several online outlets have reaped the benefits of the breast milk popularity surge, such as US based Only The Breast, an eBay-like online market place where mothers and buyers communicate through posting ads.
The Weekly does not suggest Only The Breast is selling dodgy supplies, however, the legitimacy of these marketplaces and exchange platforms have been questioned by authorities as Only The Breast does not require donating mothers to undergo any medical or security checks, and the resulting milk is not screened after expressing.
It is conditions such as these that have led the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to advise against the consumption of online breast milk, as it would be “very difficult for a food business to demonstrate the safety of such a product”.
The British Medical Journal also warned against its use. The journal released a statement, reading “At present, milk bought online is a far from ideal alternative, exposing infants and other consumers to microbiological and chemical agents. Urgent action is required to make this market safer.”
