In the 21st century, more women are juggling work and family responsibilities. Cell culture-based artificial human milk provides a healthier and more sustainable option for feeding babies compared to regular cow milk-based baby formula.
What is Biomilq
Biomilq is a US based biotech company that is developing lab-grown human milk. This new method aims to provide a more sustainable and nutritious option for feeding babies, serving as a healthier alternative to regular cow milk-based baby formula. They grow human mammary cells to produce breast milk components outside the body, imitating the natural milk production process.
Need for artificial human milk
The need for artificial human milk arises due to various circumstances where breastfeeding is not possible. Key reasons include:
- For Preterm Infants: Human milk is essential for premature babies, but when maternal milk is insufficient, artificial milk would provide a better substitute that mimics the nutrition better than cow-based milk formula
- Sustainability - As Artificial human milk(AHM) would be cell cultured it would reduce all the emissions that are done on farms, transportation, and cold storage from cow-based infant formula.
- Working mother - In today's busy lifestyle it is really hard for a mother to feed the baby normally she had to adjust or compromise sometimes. AHM would give such mothers a better and healthy alternative compared to traditional formulas.
- Adoption and surrogacy - When it comes to adoption and surrogacy, AHM offers a much better alternative to formula milk.
- Health issues due to formula -
- Increased Risk of asthma
- Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
- Microbial and chemical Contamination in infant formula(Abott baby formula case 2022)
- Cow milk allergy due to difference in protein structure in cow milk and human milk
Artificial milk helps bridge the gap when breastfeeding is not feasible, ensuring optimal infant development.
Patents Filed by Biomilq
Biomilq has taken the necessary steps to protect its groundbreaking cell culture technology by filing 19 patents. These patents are crucial to safeguard the innovative methods employed in producing key components of human milk in a lab. They cover essential aspects of the process, including specific cell lines, bioreactors, and techniques for enhancing the production of vital milk components such as human milk oligosaccharides and proteins. These components are essential for recreating the intricate composition of human breast milk.
Ethical issues with AHM
Although breastmilk is a better option than formula milk, AHM is the best alternative after breastmilk. Lab-cultured meat has faced ethical issues in Europe, and similar concerns could arise for cell-cultured human milk. It will take time and the right approach to market so that people can accept AHM better.
Regulatory aspect of AHM
To ensure the highest quality and safety of AHM, it is essential to subject it to meticulous scrutiny and rigorous assessment for potential allergens and dietary exposure risks. Singapore has implemented comprehensive regulations for cell-cultured foods, while in the USA, the FDA meticulously supervises every stage of the cell-cultured food process, including cell collection, banking, and the growth and differentiation of cells.
The AHM is not yet available in the market as the company "Biomilq" is working on making the production process more cost-effective and securing investments from various sources. It's worth noting that a firm associated with Bill Gates has also invested in Biomilq. Companies like Biomilq have the potential to bring about a revolution in the industry. We are eagerly anticipating their products to successfully complete all regulatory assessments and perform well in the market.