# US 2014/0193555 A1 · Treatment of human milk > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0193555 A1 - Document ID: US20140193555A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/999,129 - Filed: 2008-09-19 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2006-03-30 - Assignees: Medela Holding AG - Applicants: Medela Holding AG - Inventors: Charles Czank; Danielle K. Prime; Peter E. Hartmann; Anthony D. Keil; Naomi Jean Trengove - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140193555A1 ## CPC - A23B 11/13: the materials being loose unpacked - A23B 11/12: by heating (by irradiation, e.g. by microwaves A23B11/16) - A23C 9/206: {Colostrum; Human milk} - A23B: PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES - A23C: DAIRY PRODUCTS, e.g. MILK, BUTTER OR CHEESE; MILK OR CHEESE SUBSTITUTES; PREPARATION THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B11/00) ## Abstract The invention provides a method for pasteurizing mother's milk that maximizes the retention of immunologically active constituents of the milk while removing effective amounts of dangerous bacteria and viruses. This includes a pasteurization temperature in the range of 56° C. to 61° C. at which the milk is held during pasteurization for a time span. The invention also provides a method for adjusting the fat content of mother's milk. This includes a method to standardize the energy content of mother's milk by adjusting the fat content by separating the milk contents, as by centrifuging, into at least fat and skim milk layers. The volume of skim milk is adjusted to meet the desired fat concentration, i.e., skim is removed to increase, or added to decrease. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for heat treatment of human breastmilk, comprising keeping breastmilk at an elevated temperature in the range of 57-61° C. for a time span in the range of 5-60 minutes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein for elevated temperatures above 60° C. the breastmilk is kept at this temperature for not more than 30 minutes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the human breastmilk is kept at a temperature in the range of 59-61° C. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the human breastmilk is kept at a temperature in the range of 59-60° C. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the breastmilk is kept at the elevated temperature for a time span of at least 15 minutes and not more than 30 minutes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 wherein the elevated temperature is held constant during the time span. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the elevated temperature is applied in intervals of the elevated temperature and intermediate intervals of a temperature at least 20° C. below the value of the elevated temperature. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A method according to claim 7 wherein the time span is given by the accumulated time of the intervals of elevated temperature. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) A method according to claim 7 wherein the temperature in the intermediate interval is below room temperature. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9 wherein the temperature in the intermediate interval is below 10° C. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9 wherein the temperature in the intermediate interval is below 4-6° C. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the time to rise from approximately room temperature to the elevated temperature is in the range of 10-120 seconds. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A method according to claim 12, wherein the time to decay from the elevated temperature to approximately room temperature or a temperature below room temperature is in the range of 10-120 seconds. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) Use of the method according to claim 1 for the production of microbiologically and/or virally safe breastmilk while keeping the level of at least one of the following constituents at a value substantially equal to the value of untreated human breastmilk: lactoferrin; lysozyme; IgA; sIgA; IgM; IgG; lipoprotein lipase; bile salt activated lipase; Vitamin A; Vitamin B12; oligosaccharides; free fatty acids; monoglycerides; and folic acid. ### Claim 15 A method of treating human breastmilk, comprising: heating a quantity of human breastmilk to a temperature of about 57° C. in less than about 5 minutes; and maintaining the heated breastmilk within a temperature range having a minimum temperature of about 56° C. to a maximum temperature of less than about 60° C. for a period of about 30 minutes. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further including cooling the heated breastmilk to a desired temperature in less than about 5 minutes. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the human breastmilk is heated to a temperature of about 57° C. in about one minute. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the human breastmilk is heated to a temperature of about 57° C. in less than about one minute. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the heated human breastmilk is maintained within a temperature range of about 56° C. to about 58° C. for a period of about 30 minutes. ### Claim 20 An improved method for pasteurization of mother's milk that maximizes the retention of protein bioactivity while still removing effective amounts of dangerous bacteria and viruses, comprising the steps of: rapidly raising the temperature of the milk to an optimal temperature, wherein said optimal temperature is in a range of between about 57° C. and about 60° C.; holding the milk at or about said optimal temperature for a period sufficient to effect pasteurization; and then allowing the milk to cool down after said holding period. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein said optimal temperature is about 57° C. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein said holding period is about 30 minutes. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein said holding period is about 45 minutes. ### Claim 24 An improved method for adjusting the milk fat content of mother's milk comprising the steps of: separating the milk contents into at least milk fat and skim milk layers, with said separation operation being insufficient to prevent re-suspension of said milk fat and skim milk layers thereafter; removing milk from said skim milk layer to thereby increase the milk fat concentration; and re-suspending said milk fat layer with said skim milk layer. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein said separating step is accomplished through centrifugation. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein said re-suspension step is accomplished through manual shaking of said milk fat and skim milk in a container.