Breast Milk sold online contains salmonella and other harmful bacteria, a latest test on the baby food revealed.
A group of researchers tested 101 breast milk samples sold online. They found that as many as three-fourth of the tested samples contained highly dangerous bacteria that could even lead to neurological disorders in babies.
The researchers compared the breast milk sold online with samples tested from some community milk banks. It was found that the milk bought online had large amount of bacteria such as staphylococcus and streptococcus. Nearly 21 percent of that milk had cytomegalovirus, or CMV, a virus responsible for harmful neurological effects.
Dr Kenneth Boyer, pediatrics chief at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, told the Associated Press that the results were "pretty scary." "Just imagine if the donor happens to be a drug user. You don't know," Dr Boyer, who was involved in the study, said.
He further said that sometimes bacteria were found in mother's own breast milk. Although some bacteria do not cause any harm but microbes like salmonella prove extremely dangerous for the babies.
According to the lead study author, Sarah Keim, the websites selling breast milk provide less information about the quality of the product. "There is no real data. Just a small study in several countries about why women shared their breast milk," Keim, who is also assistant professor of pediatrics at Ohio State University College of Medicine, said.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration do not encourage mothers to buy breast milk online. It suggests them to get "milk from a source that has screened its milk donors and taken other precautions to ensure the safety."
