Novel Approaches to Improve the Intrinsic Microbiological Safety of Powdered Infant Milk Formula

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Abstract

Human milk is recognised as the best form of nutrition for infants. However; in instances where breast-feeding is not possible, unsuitable or inadequate, infant milk formulae are used as breast milk substitutes. These formulae are designed to provide infants with optimum nutrition for normal growth and development and are available in either powdered or liquid forms. Powdered infant formula is widely used for convenience and economic reasons. However; current manufacturing processes are not capable of producing a sterile powdered infant formula. Due to their immature immune systems and permeable gastro-intestinal tracts, infants can be more susceptible to infection via foodborne pathogenic bacteria than other age-groups. Consumption of powdered infant formula contaminated by pathogenic microbes can be a cause of serious illness. In this review paper, we discuss the current manufacturing practices present in the infant formula industry, the pathogens of greatest concern, Cronobacter and Salmonella and methods of improving the intrinsic safety of powdered infant formula via the addition of antimicrobials such as: bioactive peptides; organic acids; probiotics and prebiotics.

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Perspectives on the use of organic acids and short chain fatty acids as antimicrobials.

SC Ricke (2003)

Organic acids have a long history of being utilized as food additives and preservatives for preventing food deterioration and extending the shelf life of perishable food ingredients. Specific organic acids have also been used to control microbial contamination and dissemination of foodborne pathogens in preharvest and postharvest food production and processing. The antibacterial mechanism(s) for organic acids are not fully understood, and activity may vary depending on physiological status of the organism and the physicochemical characteristics of the external environment. An emerging potential problem is that organic acids have been observed to enhance survivability of acid sensitive pathogens exposed to low pH by induction of an acid tolerance response and that acid tolerance may be linked to increased virulence. Although this situation has implications regarding the use of organic acids, it may only apply to circumstances in which reduced acid levels have induced resistance and virulence mechanisms in exposed organisms. Evaluating effectiveness of organic acids for specific applications requires more understanding general and specific stress response capabilities of foodborne pathogens. Development and application of molecular tools to study pathogen behavior in preharvest and postharvest food production environments will enable dissection of specific bacterial genetic regulation involved in response to organic acids. This could lead to the development of more targeted strategies to control foodborne pathogens with organic acids.

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Nomenclature of the proteins of cows' milk--sixth revision.

T Bleck, C M Hollar, Nguyen Hang … (2004)

This report of the American Dairy Science Association Committee on the Nomenclature, Classification, and Methodology of Milk Proteins reviews changes in the nomenclature of milk proteins necessitated by recent advances of our knowledge of milk proteins. Identification of major caseins and whey proteins continues to be based upon their primary structures. Nomenclature of the immunoglobulins consistent with new international standards has been developed, and all bovine immunoglobulins have been characterized at the molecular level. Other significant findings related to nomenclature and protein methodology are elucidation of several new genetic variants of the major milk proteins, establishment by sequencing techniques and sequence alignment of the bovine caseins and whey proteins as the reference point for the nomenclature of all homologous milk proteins, completion of crystallographic studies for major whey proteins, and advances in the study of lactoferrin, allowing it to be added to the list of fully characterized milk proteins.

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Lactoferrin--a multifunctional protein with antimicrobial properties.

Sebastien Farnaud, Robert W Evans (2003)

Lactoferrin is a member of the transferrin family of iron-binding proteins. Numerous functions have been reported and continue to be reported for the protein, some of which are related to its iron-binding properties. Its extensive antimicrobial activities were originally attributed to its ability to sequester essential iron, however, it is now established that it possesses bactericidal activities as a result of a direct interaction between the protein or lactoferrin-derived peptides. This article reviews the antimicrobial activities of lactoferrin and discusses the potential mode of action of lactoferrin-derived cationic peptides against Gram-negative bacteria in the light of recent studies.

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Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Nutrients

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Nutrients

Journal ID (publisher-id): nutrients

Title: Nutrients

Publisher: MDPI

ISSN (Electronic): 2072-6643

Publication date (Electronic): 12 February 2015

Publication date Collection: February 2015

Volume: 7

Issue: 2

Pages: 1217-1244

Affiliations

[1 ]Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Cork EIRE, Ireland; E-Mails: robert.kent@ 123456teagasc.ie (R.M.K.); catherine.stanton@ 123456teagasc.ie (C.S.)

[2 ]Department of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork EIRE, Ireland; E-Mails: g.fitzgerald@ 123456ucc.ie (G.F.F.); c.hill@ 123456ucc.ie (C.H.)

[3 ]Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, Cork EIRE, Ireland

Author notes

[* ]Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: p.ross@ 123456ucc.ie ; Tel.: +353-(0)-21-4903760/3075; Fax: +353-(0)-21-4904735.

Article

Publisher ID: nutrients-07-01217

DOI: 10.3390/nu7021217

PMC ID: 4344585

PubMed ID: 25685987

SO-VID: e167ca40-d909-4d09-89ac-d113f8edfc45

License:

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Novel Approaches to Improve the Intrinsic Microbiological Safety of Powdered Infant Milk Formula

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Abstract

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Karger: Nutrition and Dietetics

Most cited references 149

Perspectives on the use of organic acids and short chain fatty acids as antimicrobials.

Nomenclature of the proteins of cows' milk--sixth revision.

Lactoferrin--a multifunctional protein with antimicrobial properties.

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