Abstract:Background: Breastfeeding is a cost-effective, high-impact intervention for health, nutrition, and disaster risk reduction. It is the biological norm for infant feeding, yet when breastfeeding is not possible due illness, death, or separation, newborns are left without access to their mother’s own milk (MoM). In such cases, human milk banks (HMBs) serve a critical role in providing safe donor human milk (DHM), directly contributing to SDG 3 by reducing preventable neonatal mortality.In the Philippines, ensuring the microbiological safety of donor human milk (DHM) remains a challenge, particularly for emerging non-hospital-based facilities like the Laguna Human Milk Bank (LHMB). Established in 2022, LHMB operates through community-based donors rather than inpatient mothers, and continues to refine its processing systems unlike hospital-based HMBs with established standardized protocols. From July 2024 to April 2025, LHMB processed 58 DHM pools, with only 10% passing quality standards exposing critical operational gaps. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on 58 DHM pools using internal records and pasteurizer logs. Microbial results were analyzed pre- and post-pasteurization, alongside process mapping and review of Holder pasteurization cycles (62.5°C for 30 minutes). Machine-generated logs were examined for discrepancies in heat duration recording. Results: Pre-pasteurization testing failed in 48 of 58 pools (83%), confirming that the majority of contamination occurs early in the process. Only 4 of 58 pools (7%) failed post-pasteurization testing. Analysis of pasteurization logs revealed under-reporting of heat duration. Machine cycles ran correctly, yet software recorded insufficient time (typically <¥10 minutes), exposing a critical data integrity issue that risks mislabeling safe milk as non-compliant. Conclusion: Contamination primarily occurred before pasteurization, with additional concerns in data recording. Key recommendations include donor hygiene education, stricter sanitation and cold-chain protocols, machine calibration, and data verification practical steps to improve DHM safety and strengthen quality systems in line with SDG 3.
Keywords: Health Systems and Universal Health Coverage (UHC), human milk bank, donor human milk, breastfeeding, contamination control, Philippines
