The investigators have recently identified that current human milk banking practices in the United Kingdom may have the potential to increase levels of lipid peroxidation products in donor human milk. It is therefore important to quantify the extent of this increase. This project aims to quantify for the first time the levels of lipid peroxidation products in donor human milk that is provided to infants on the neonatal unit.~Donor human milk samples will be collected from two neonatal units in the United Kingdom, served by different human milk banks. Fresh mature term breast milk, collected from healthy mothers in the community, and preterm transitional/mature breast milk, collected from healthy mothers at a neonatal unit, will be used for comparison. For each group, 10 x 5 mL samples will be analysed for the lipid peroxidation products, malondialdehyde, 4 hydroxy-2-nonenal, hexanal, and 8-iso-PGF2α. The fatty acid content and total antioxidant capacity will also be measured. All analysis will be undertaken at Bournemouth University.
This study will quantify lipid peroxidation products (malondialdehyde, 4 hydroxy-2-nonenal, hexanal, and 8-iso-PGF2α), fatty acid content, and antioxidant capacity in donor human milk sampled from two neonatal units in the UK. Comparison will be made to preterm transitional/mature milk and term mature milk.