Effects of varying degrees of heat treatment on milk protein and its nutritional consequenses.

The loss of essential protein-nutrients by heat treatment of formula products has largely been eliminated by modern techniques employed by the food industry. Heat treatment of human milk reduces the biological activity of protein-like antimicrobial factors, but pasteurisation preserves most of the IgA-activity. Little is known about possible nutritional effects on low birthweight infants of heat treatment of human milk. In one study no impairment in nitrogen absorption or retention was observed.