Challenges and Opportunities in Quantifying Bioactive Compounds in Human Breastmilk

Breastmilk is a complex biological fluid containing over a thousand bioactive proteins, lipids, cells and small molecules that provide nutrition and immunological protection for infants and children. The composition of breastmilk is unique to each individual and can also vary within individuals according to breastfeeding duration, maternal health, time of day, and other factors. As such, the composition of breastmilk can be considered a “fingerprint” that could be interrogated to identify biomarkers of breast health and disease. However, accurate quantification of bioactive components in breastmilk remains a significant challenge. Approaches such as immunoassays and mass spectrometry have been largely applied to study blood or other biological fluids and require validation and optimisation before these techniques can be used to accurately quantify bioactive compounds in breastmilk. Development of protocols specific to breastmilk should be carried out with high precision, confidence, and sensitivity. This review explores the challenges and opportunities associated with different techniques for quantification of breastmilk bioactive components.