Human milk as a source of next-generation probiotics: quantifying Akkermansia muciniphila and microbial contamination risks in donor milk

Sima  Taheri; Morteza  Khomeiri; Hesamaddin Shirzad  Aski; Hamid Bahador  Ghoddusi; Seid Mahdi  Jafari; Ezzat Allah  Ghaemi

doi:10.18502/ijm.v17i6.20356

Sima Taheri Department of Food Science and Technology, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran
Morteza Khomeiri Department of Food Science and Technology, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran
Hesamaddin Shirzad Aski Infectious Disease Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
Hamid Bahador Ghoddusi Microbiology Research Unit (MRU), School of Human Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Computing, London Metropolitan University, London, UK
Seid Mahdi Jafari Department of Food Science and Technology, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran
Ezzat Allah Ghaemi Infectious Disease Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijm.v17i6.20356

Keywords: Akkermansia muciniphila; Bacterial counts; Human milk; Microbiota; Pasteurization; Real-time polymerase chain reaction

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Human milk provides nutrients, prebiotics, and probiotics that support infants’ physical and mental growth. Human milk microbiota, as a potential source of probiotics and an indicator of the safety of donor milk, is of great importance. Akkermansia muciniphila, a core member of next-generation probiotics (NGPs), with the ability to degrade human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), may be present in human milk. This study was carried out to assess the total bacterial count and presence of A. muciniphila in raw freshly expressed mothers’ milk and pasteurized donor milk from human milk banks (HMBs).

Materials and Methods: 15 raw and 20 pasteurized milk samples were collected and analyzed using a real-time PCR tech-

nique with specific primers for A. muciniphila and universal 16S rRNA bacterial primers.

Results: Results showed that the average total bacterial count was 4.95 log CFU/ml, which is lower than the normal range reported for human milk. Samples with bacterial count over the standard range were related to the HMBs. Prevalence of A. muciniphila in human milk was 35% and was higher in raw milk samples than in pasteurized samples.

Conclusion: In conclusion, raw human milk can serve as a potential source for A. muciniphila isolation as a candidate for NGPs.