Recently, a team of doctors and chemists discovered generalized antimicrobial activity of carbohydrates in human breast milk. The researchers are specifically interested in Group B Streptococci which is a leading cause of infections in newborns worldwide. Although protein in breast milk has more attention for its various benefits, the researchers primarily focused on carbohydrates. The group first isolated oligosaccharides from milk and then introduced them to Group B Streptococci cultures.
It was revealed that these oligosaccharides first sensitize and ultimately kill the pathogens. The study is published in the ACS Infectious Disease Journal. Do you think carbohydrates found in breast milk should be isolated or synthesized chemically to provide protection to children who were not breastfed adequately?
