Virologist Pavel Volchkov told socialbites.ca that drinking breast milk is dangerous for an adult and can lead to infection with hepatitis B, C and even human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Earlier it was learned that coffee shops in Perm began to sell coffee with breast milk. Rospotrebnadzor began to control these institutions.
“There are a large number of viruses that can be transmitted through breast milk. These are hepatitis B and C viruses, cytomegalovirus, West Nile virus, human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV), HIV. There is milk transmission of influenza, but very small, ”explained the MIPT genome virologist Pavel Volchkov, head of the engineering laboratory.
According to him, the alleged harm of a cup of coffee with breast milk “exceeds the possible benefits.” Also, no studies have been done proving the benefits of breast milk for an adult.
“Women, like cows, have a large fraction of immunoglobulins. These are the same type A antibodies secreted that protect the child from various viruses and bacteria that are transmitted to the mother. The baby has not developed an adaptive immune system, so he can rely on his mother. But what is wrong with an adult drinking cappuccino with breast milk containing immunoglobulins? “Nobody has done this kind of research,” Volchkov said.
The virologist said making milk safe would require costly testing and procedures, making it unprofitable to sell.
“If Rospotrebnadzor, probably, can allow the sale of such products, then only as a result of direct testing of the product itself, and not the health of the woman. The milk has been delivered and needs to be tested. Perform an antibody test that will recognize antigens and viral particles, and a test for nucleic acids contained in these viruses. If you do both tests, this gives a high but not absolute guarantee that the milk is virus-free. So, such milk tests are expensive. The hypothetical utility and utility are questionable,” the virologist said.
Another way to make breast milk safe is to boil it. But even here everything is not simple, said Volchkov.
“It is possible to develop procedures for the so-called pasteurization and purification of breast milk. However, the disadvantage of pasteurization is the rather significant loss of activity of some of the same antibodies and milk proteins. Although we perceive human breast milk as just a set of nutrients, then you can boil the milk and then it will be a guarantee that there will be no more active viral particles. But for that to really happen, you need some kind of control. Rospotrebnadzor does not trust words, but it is necessary to boil the milk and make a test for the absence of really live viral particles. If boiling is done, nucleic acids, most likely proteins, will remain there as well. “So another test will need to be done to detect the proliferating viral particles, and it’s expensive and time consuming.”
The owner, Maxim Kobelev, spoke on the Mash Telegram channel about the sale of coffee with breast milk. According to her, she receives five liters of milk a day from nine women who have recently given birth, and this milk is distributed to three coffee shops. There, a drink with its addition is sold for 650 rubles per glass.
Saying, “An average of 40-50 cups are sold per day at all three points,” the entrepreneur added that he plans to expand this area and reach 1,000 cups a day by the end of the year.
At the same time, Kobelev noted that women give a certificate of their health at each birth.
After media reports, Rospotrebnadzor from Prikamye began to check Kobelev’s cafes.