| Abstract: | Thirty samples of unheated expressed breast milk (EBM) from thirty lactating mothers, stored at room temperature (RT) and in the refrigerator (at +4 degrees C), were examined for the degree of bacterial contamination at two hourly intervals upto eight hours. All the EBM samples contained bacteria, mostly of normal skin flora; Staphylococcus albus 76.7%; Streptococcus viridans 40%. Potential pathogens were isolated in small numbers: Escherichia coli 26%, Streptococcus faecalis 13.6% and Staphylococcus aureus 6.7%. The bacterial colony counts (BCC) were consistently low; Mean initially 5.438 x 10(3) cfu/mm3 with a range of 0.15-23.1 x 10(3) cfu/mm3 and showed a significant reduction on storage in both EBM samples stored at RT and at +4 degrees C. The study proved that it is safe for mothers to keep unheated EBM at RT for at least eight hours before bacteria can multiply beyond unacceptable levels. |
