Start-up Uses Artificial Intelligence to Develop Breast Milk That Everyone Can Drink

A start-up company, consisting of mostly female scientists, is finding ways to turn the beneficial properties of a mother's breast milk into milk that everyone can enjoy and drink.

Based in Israel, Maolac and its food scientists are using the power of artificial intelligence to replicate the health-boosting properties of colostrum found in breast milk. The company led by mom Maya Ashkenazi saw the potential of developing milk with loads of functional proteins that could be accessible for all, "not just for babies."

Ashkenazi said that she saw the market potential of such a product, especially for the health-conscious. Their initial development suggests that Maolac breast milk for all could be out in the market by 2023.

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Harnessing Cow Colostrum

With the help of artificial intelligence, Ashkenazi and her team have initially mapped out the composition of a mother's breast milk to break down its over 1,500 active proteins. Combining what the artificial intelligence platform has derived, the team then upcycled the colostrum in cows.

Around five billion bovine colostrum is discarded during cow's milk production every year, and that raw material could be the "novel ingredient" for Maolac. According to the Maolac CEO, human colostrum and bovine colostrum have "more than 400 proteins that are similar."

According to Hearthy Foods, by itself, the health benefits of bovine colostrum, also known as "first milk," are actually used in many supplements for adults, and these are either dried, packaged, and stored as pills or powder. Just like mother's breast milk, this contains fats, enzymes, growth hormones, and other vitamins and minerals healthier than regular cows' milk.

The nutrients in bovine colostrum may also help fight diseases, boost immunities, and facilitate body repair and infection treatment. But by using bioinformatics to replicate human colostrum using bovine colostrum, Maolac hopes to deliver a product that may also improve a person's quality and longevity of life.

During its laboratory work and in-vitro cell culture experiment, the food scientists enriched the bovine colostrum with crucial anti-inflammatory proteins derived from breast milk proteins. Once enhanced in further experiments, the milk could help with the recovery of athletes or older people suffering from muscle pains due to inflammation.

Breast Milk Mixed in Cereals, Coffee

The news comes as actor KJ Apa shared that he uses his wife's breast milk for his morning coffee. Kim Kardashian West also tried to use her sister Kourtney's breast milk to manage her psoriasis. Actress Amber Tamblyn once said that breast milk tastes so sweet that it could be used for desserts. Hollywood star Jennifer Aniston also said that breast milk might be the only milk that adults could drink without feeling guilty.

Amid this COVID-19 pandemic, moms have been feeding their kids cereal filled with breast milk to reap the benefits of the antibodies in vaccinated mothers. Grassroots breastfeeding advocacy groups are also encouraging giving breast milk to kids older than two years old, so they could continue to gain from its nutritional benefits.

Related Article: Breast Milk of Vaccinated Moms Have High COVID-19 Antibodies: Study