Commercializing Breast Milk

Company wants to sell human milk

There's no doubt that breast milk is good for babies. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, babies who have been breastfed have fewer infections, allergies and gastrointestinal problems. Some studies have also shown that breastfed babies grow up smarter. Breast milk is so beneficial that it's even been referred to as "white blood."

Which is exactly why one California company wants to collect, process and sell human breast milk. "Human milk is the most undervalued commodity in our society," says Elena Taggert Medo, the founder of International Milk Science Corp.

Medo wants to set up a network of 20 donor centers and a central processing plant where the milk could be pasteurized and fortified, says this article from the Boulder, Co., Daily Camera. Medo estimates that her company could process 4 million ounces of milk a year, which would be marketed to hospitals for premature and sick infants.

Deciding whether to breastfeed or bottle-feed an infant is often a difficult decision for some women. This article from KidsHealth.org looks at the pros and cons of both.

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