Effect of human milk fortifiers on bacterial growth in human milk.

Background: As a component in human milk fortifiers (HMF), iron may equilibrate with human milk for as long as 24 hours, bind important bacteriostatic proteins, and potentially affect the host defense properties of human milk.

Objective: We compared bacterial growth in human milk prepared with each of two HMF differing in their content of iron.

Study Design: Samples of human milk obtained from mothers of premature infants were divided and mixed with one of two HMF and maintained at refrigerator temperature.