Mothers are being advised against buying milk from websites after a study found three quarters of samples from one site contained harmful levels of bacteria (file picture)
Human breast milk being sold online contains dangerous levels of bacteria including potentially-deadly salmonella.
Three quarters of samples taken from one popular website were found to contain harmful levels of bacteria.
Several babies have already been made ill by drinking contaminated milk, according to the study by the Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
While human milk is also provided through milk banks to hospitals, their donors are carefully screened and all the milk is pasturised to remove harmful germs.
Sarah Keim, the lead author and a researcher said that with Internet sites, 'you have very few ways to know for sure what you are getting is really breast milk and that it's safe to feed your baby.'
'Because the consequences can be serious, it is not a good idea to obtain breast milk in this way.'
The study tested 101 samples from one popular site, which they didn't name.
Seventy-four percent of the samples either had disease-causing bacteria like E. coli or harmful levels of bacteria such as Streptococci.
As a control 20 samples from a milk bank were tested, and seven tested positive for containing disease-causing bacteria.
Dr. Kenneth Boyer, pediatrics chief at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, who was not involved in the study, called the results 'pretty scary' adding: 'Just imagine if the donor happens to be a drug user. You don't know.'
The study does not say where the bacteria comes from, but possible sources include donors' skin, breast pumps used to extract milk, or contamination from improper shipping methods.
While researchers admit that all milk will contain some bacteria which is essential for building up babies' immune systems, these were not the bacteria they looked at.
Salmonella microbes, also found on raw chicken and in animal feces, cause diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps and in extreme cases can lead to death from dehydration.
Mothers' excess milk is sold online through various sites for between $1 and $2 an ounce (file picture)
Babies are among the most vulnerable as their immune systems have yet to properly develop.
Administrators of one site that facilitates the sale of milk, www.onlythebreast.com, said that they recognize the problem and are trying to address it.
A statement read: 'We have made the decision to transition away from offering breast milk classified ads and in the near future completely remove them with the goal (of stopping) all...activities related to informal milk sharing.'
'We will be shifting our focus from mother to mother internet sales to helping qualified Only the Breast donors provide milk to a new milk banking program.'
The company says it will screen its donors and process their milk in partnership with Medolac Laboratories.
Supporters of milk-sharing also say that a line needs to be drawn between donors, who give away their milk for free and have nothing to gain from lying about their health, and sellers.
Breanna Clemons of Dickinson, N.D., is a donor who found a local woman who needed breast milk through one of the online sites where milk is offered free.
'A lot of people are like, "Ewww, it's weird," but they haven't been in a situation where they didn't want their child to have formula,' or couldn't produce enough milk, Clemons said. She said she shared her medical history with the recipient.
Clemons is breast-feeding her 7-month-old and stores excess milk in her freezer. Every few weeks, she meets up with the recipient and gives her about 20 6-ounce bags. Clemons said the woman has a healthy 9-month-old who 'loves my milk.'
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends against feeding babies milk bought over the Internet, but doesn't regulate its sale.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2470021/Study-finds-human-breast-milk-containing-high-levels-bacteria-sold-online.html#ixzz2iNR10LKF
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