Abstract

DURAN, Zandra et al. Calidad microbiológica de la leche humana procesada en el Banco de Leche Materna. Hospital “Ruiz y Páez”. Ciudad Bolívar. Arch Venez Puer Ped [online]. 2008, vol.71, n.1, pp.5-12. ISSN 0004-0649.

The Human Milk Banks are specialized centers that guarantee a bacteriologicaly safe product for those children who receive it. Objective: To evaluate the microbiological quality of processed human milk at the Milk Bank of the Hospital Ruiz y Páez, of Ciudad Bolivar. Method: 30 milk samples were collected by mechanical extraction, during the period of August-November 2004. The samples were microbiologically analyzed before and after its pasteurization. The investigated parameters were counts of Aerobic Bacteria Mesophyla, Total Coliforms, Fecal Coliforms, Escherichia coli, and positive coagulase Staphylococci. Results: Human milk prior pasteurization showed a total microbial load with a maximum of 10º UFC/ml, which was represented by the count of mesophile aerobes. The count of Staphylococci, reached 10 UFC/ml in 76,7 % (23 samples), Staphylococcus aureus was present up to10 UFC/ml in 16,7% (5 samples). In relation with the total Coliforms, their counts were under or equal to 10 NMP/ml and fecal Coliforms under 10 NMP/ml. Escherichia coli was not found. After pasteurization, all samples were free from any type of microorganism. Conclusion: The human milk distributed to children of this hospital, is within microbiological standards, indicating that the conditions under which human milk is pasteurized at the Milk Bank of the Hospital Ruiz and Páez are appropriate.

Keywords : Human milk banks; Pasteurization; Maternal milk; Microbiological Quality.