Human breast milk, notably lactoferrin, is full of goodness from which we could all benefit, if we could only get past the yuk factor. Scientists in Japan are trying to tap the benefits to produce super-milk with added breast milk nourishment. One way to do this is through biotechnology – a path which faces a huge battle with global public opinion, as Michael Fitzpatrick reports.
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When Mr. Yang Jun’s restaurant serving dishes made from breast milk was closed down last year in central China, the adult world breathed a collective sigh that human decency had prevailed and normal order had been restored. For apart from a few extreme cases, the norm is that mother’s milk supped by anyone but a babe in arms is repugnant, somehow immoral and downright stomach churning.
Our repulsion couldn’t be more misplaced. Now scientists tell us that mother’s milk is not only good for infants but that adults too should be enjoying its benefits, just as they did at Mr. Jun’s restaurant. Cancer killer, anti-HIV, infection retardant… the list of its potential applications is long and impressive. And although no one has suggested we start milking our lactating population just yet, there are moves afoot to bring the bounty of human milk to all of us.
Unfortunately the methods are somewhat controversial. Instead of relying on human donors, researchers have come up with ways of genetically engineering the valuable components of breast milk, presenting a huge breakthrough for functional foods. That is, if its marketers can get past the yuk factor that seems hard-wired in some many of us. There is also the hurdle of fears over producing the ‘Franken cows’, or GM crops that carry these human milk components. But overcome both and we could all be sprinkling super-milk on our cornflakes each morning or chewing on rice with added breast milk nourishment.
All eyes on lactoferrin
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By GlobalDataWhat the food scientists are mostly getting excited over is a substance called lactoferrin. Because of its sanitising effect, lactoferrin is already used in producing dairy products and other food and helps promote iron absorption in the body – very important for many women and particularly for mothers to be. The substance, however, tends to be broken down in the stomach, which prevents it from being absorbed by the intestines but one Japanese milk producer says it has overcome this.
Champions of lactoferrin, both bovine-derived and human, say it is effective in reducing the pain caused by arthritis and that its pain-killing effect is comparable to that of morphine. Other tests show that lactoferrin helps prevent the accumulation of cholesterol and fat in the liver, and is effective against viruses such as HIV.
So, the only barrier stopping adults from enjoying valuable heath boosts via a super-charged cow’s milk is fears over GE? According to researchers it is, but only in the European Union .
Worries over ‘Franken milk’
Europe, they say is too wary of such ‘Franken milk’, while Japan has okayed the sale of GM meat and milk paving the way for sales of cows milk fortified with human lactoferrin. The US is close to following Japan in allowing cloned animal products on the market and therefore the new supermilk, and maybe even a superior baby milk.
In the EU, the future of what might be called Milk-plus is certainly bleak. The Netherlands had been at the cutting edge of bringing human lactoferrin to market but faced with opposition from anti-GM consumers and even governments it has halted its programme.
“Prevailing public opinion is against us and therefore so are the laws. This simply isn’t the climate for producing GM organisms especially where we are based,” says Margolein van Helmond of Dutch biotechnology company Pharming.
The company had produced healthy transgenic cows whose milk carried the same vital lactoferrin present in mother’s milk and hoped to use the milk to produce pharmaceuticals and ingredients for functional foods. Those cows have been put down and the whole programme is in stasis – victim say their creators of the anti-GM movement.
Snow Brand led the way
Human lactoferrin champions must look to the Far East for the next move. With its largely apolitical population and gung ho R&D projects Japan has been way ahead of Europe in this field, particularly as it leads the world in functional food know-how and commercialisation. One company Snow Brand Milk patented the use of human milk components as far back as 1984, though it states that milk from any mammal may be used to provide its lactoferrin.
“They have another patent, too, in which I recollect that they use a recombinant form of human lactoferrin to inactivate HIV/Aids,” says Florida-based lactation consultant Valerie W. McClain.
She points to the irony that industry will make millions from patenting (up to 800 made so far) on human milk components while many still remain unaware of its benefits as a baby food. Some of those that hold patents are baby milk makers but as McClain points out as many of them have yet to make the leap.
‘It mightn’t be long before genetic engineering found its way into breast milk manufacture. The resultant milk may also carry the Holy Grail of formula – some antibodies. Although how these would survive the three- or four-year shelf life of the average formula is hard to understand. Besides, the idea of ‘Franken cows’ will be a difficult psychological image for marketers to sell to anxious parents.’
Human lactoferrin foods soon to hit the shelves
GE Human lactoferrin may take time to gain acceptability and to date there are no foods or cow’s milk on the market containing human lactoferrin. But that is all about to change in Japan at least. Recently Japanese pharmaceuticals company Nuclear Receptor Ligand Co. announced it intends to develop drugs based on human lactoferrin and is to cooperate with non-drug companies to develop health food.
The Kawasaki-based biotechnology venture teamed up with Agennix Inc. of Texas, the world leader in the development of recombinant human lactoferrin (rhLF). Agennix is conducting clinical trials of pain killers and other pharmaceuticals made with human lactoferrin and other components of mothers’ milk. Nuclear Receptor has already developed a method to produce drugs, whose lactoferrin can be absorbed through the intestines, something that proved difficult before.
“What human proteins we work with now are ongoing clinical phase II trials. We can look forward to getting registered approval soon perhaps,” says Agennix’s Rick Barsky. “Based on the trials to date, we see benefits in treatment of cancer, asthma and wound healing among others.”
These are huge claims for what for years was seen as best for baby but potentially problematic as a GM food. Should the US drug authority agree with Agennix, infants deprived of their own mother’s milk, health conscious adults and even Chinese diners may very shortly get to taste again for themselves why mother’s milk is best.
