S100B milk concentration in mammalian species.

S100B is a neurotrophic protein detectable in biological fluids and in human milk. Since there are several maternal-neonatal conditions requiring the administration of animal milks the aim of the present study was to quantify S100B in milk from different mammalian species and to compare protein's concentration among human and mammalian milks. We assessed S100B concentrations in donkey (n=12), goat (n=15) sheep (n=15), commercially available cow (n=8) and human (n=15) milk samples. S100B measurements were performed using an immunoluminometric assay. S100B concentration in human milk (10.41 +/- 4.2 microg/L) was higher (P LESS THAN0.001) than mammalian milks. Of note, S100B concentration in cow milk (3.13 +/- 0.56 microg/L) was higher (P LESS THAN0.01) than that showed in donkey (1.17 +/- 0.26 microg/L), sheep (0.25 +/- 0.11 microg/L) and goat (0.26 +/- 0.11 microg/L). S100B in donkey milk was higher (P LESS THAN0.01) than sheep and goat samples whilst protein's concentration did not differ between goat and sheep. The present study suggests the opportunity of S100B addition to animal milk intended for infant feeding.

S100B Protein concentration in milk-formulas for preterm and term infants. Correlation with industrial preparation procedures.

Human milk S100B protein possesses important neurotrophic properties. However, in some conditions human milk is substituted by milk formulas. The aims of the present study were: to assess S100B concentrations in milk formulas, to verify any differences in S100B levels between preterm and term infant formulas and to evaluate the impact of industrial preparation at predetermined phases on S100B content. Two different set of samples were tested: (i) commercial preterm (n = 36) and term (n = 36) infant milk formulas; ii) milk preterm (n = 10) and term infant (n = 10) formulas sampled at the following predetermined industrial preparation time points: skimmed cow milk (Time 0); after protein sources supplementation (Time 1); after pasteurization (Time 2); after spray-drying (Time 3). Our results showed that S100B concentration in preterm formulas were higher than in term ones (p < 0.01). In addition, S100B concentrations during industrial preparation showed a significant increase (p < 0.001) at Time 1 followed by a slight decrease (p > 0.05) at Time 2, whereas a significant (p < 0.001) dip was observed at Time 3. In conclusion, S100B showed a sufficient thermostability to resist pasteurization but not spry-drying. New feeding strategies in preterm and term infants are therefore warranted in order to preserve S100B protein during industrial preparation.

Maternal dietary habits and mycotoxin occurrence in human mature milk.

During 2006, 82 samples of human mature milk were collected at Italian hospitals and checked for aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) and ochratoxin A (OTA) by immunoaffinity column extraction and HPLC. AFM1 was detected in four (5%) of milk samples (ranging from < 7 ng/L to 140 ng/L; mean level: 55.35 ng/L); OTA was detected in 61 (74%) of milk samples (ranging from < 5 ng/L to 405 ng/L; mean level: 30.43 ng/L. OTA levels were significantly higher (p less, not double equals 0.05) in milk of habitual consumers of bread, bakery products and cured pork meat. No other statistically significant differences were observed although habitual consumers of pasta (p = 0.059), cookies (p = 0.061) and juices (p = 0.063) had mean contamination values of OTA higher than the moderate consumer. The very few AFB1 positive samples did not allow statistical comparisons. The present study confirms that the occurrence of OTA in human milk is related to maternal dietary habits. The findings support the possibility of dietary recommendations to woman, during pregnancy and lactation, aimed to tentatively reduce the OTA contamination of human milk.