High hydrostatic pressure processing of human milk preserves milk oligosaccharides and avoids formation of Maillard reaction products

Background & aims: High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) processing is a non-thermal method proposed as an alternative to Holder pasteurization (HoP) for the treatment of human milk. HHP preserves numerous milk bioactive components that are degraded by HoP, but no data are available for milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) or the formation of Maillard reaction products, which may be deleterious for preterm newborns. Methods: We evaluated the impact of HHP processing of human milk on 22 HMOs measured by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection and on furosine, lactuloselysine, carboxymethyllysine (CML) and carboxyethyllysine (CEL) measured by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometric detection (LC-MS/MS), four established indicators of the Maillard reaction. Human raw milk was sterilized by HoP (62.5 degrees C for 30 min) or processed by HHP (350 MPa at 38 degrees C). Results: Neither HHP nor HoP processing affected the concentration of HMOs, but HoP significantly increased furosine, lactuloselysine, CML and CEL levels in milk. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that HPP treatment preserves HMOs and avoids formation of Maillard reaction products. Our study confirms and extends previous findings that HHP treatment of human milk provides safe milk, with fewer detrimental effects on the biochemically active milk components than HoP. 0 2021 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the impact of HHP processing on human milk components and found that HHP treatment preserves HMOs and avoids the formation of Maillard reaction products. In contrast, Holder pasteurization significantly increased the levels of Maillard reaction products.