A hitherto unrecognized biochemical difference between human milk and cow's milk.

Abstract

The biochemical differences between human milk and cows milk are examined. Certain parameters are graphed. Although human milk causes intestinal flora high in the prevalence of Lactobacillus bifidus and a fecal pH which is acid in contrast to cows milk which produces a neutral or even alkaline fecal pH and a mixed flora attempts to relate these differences to the different chemical composition of the 2 milks have been only partially successful. The growth activity of human milk is 40 times greater than that of cows milk. The average relative activity was highest for human colostrum closely followed by rat colostrum then by human milk rat milk and cows colostrum. All other milks tested especially the milk from ruminants such as cows sheep and goats showed little activity. Guinea pig milk was inactive. It is especially interesting that colostrum is much richer in microbiological growth factors than late milk. It was also found that the ammonium salts have some growth-promoting activity. This microbiological growth factor differs from all known vitamins and growth factors. (summary in SPA)