FIGURE 1.

Process flow diagram depicting the typical production of donor human milk at a Canadian milk bank and areas where research into optimization is being explored. Post-pasteurized milk is stored short-term at −20°C, separate from milk ready to be dispensed while microbiological analyses are underway (∼2 d). Following approval by the medical director, milk is moved into longer-term storage at −20°C (≤ 6 mo), from where it is dispensed to hospitals. The numbers correspond to parts of the processing which can be optimized. 1) Refers to the freezing and/or thawing; 2) Refers to the potential addition of homogenization, and 3) Refers to the pasteurization process. ∗Bacterial preculture screening is only in place in select milk banks.