(MENAFN- Costa Rica News) A research project from the Graduate Studies System of the University of Costa Rica (UCR) developed a pioneering protocol for collecting breast milk from homes and delivering it to hospitals, ensuring food safety and quality.

The model emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic , when donor mothers were unable to access milk banks. The project was led by Diana Víquez Barrantes, M.Sc., a graduate of the Master's in Food Science program, in coordination with the Human Milk Bank of the Women's Hospital.

The proposal included a HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) plan to identify and reduce biological and chemical risks. It also generated educational materials for milk bank staff and donors, with recommendations on hygiene, temperature control, and extraction and storage techniques.“The Milk Bank saves lives,” Víquez Barrantes emphasized, underscoring the need for the milk to reach newborns in optimal condition.

Network of banks and collection centers

Costa Rica has three human milk banks at the Carlos Luis Valverde Vega, Women's, and Monseñor Sanabria Hospitals, as well as collection centers at the Enrique Baltodano, Anexión, and San Carlos Hospitals.

Dr. Diana Madrid Chevez, coordinator of the Milk Bank at Monseñor Sanabria Hospital, emphasized that“breast milk is, in essence, the first vaccine a baby receives” and that donating helps prevent infections, allergies, and chronic diseases.

Mothers interested in donating should visit an authorized bank or center to become certified and receive guidance. The goal, according to the specialist, is to ensure that no neonatal unit in the country is left without access to donated breast milk .

An act of solidarity with a vital impact

Strengthening the food bank network and implementing home collection programs aims to expand coverage and ensure that more premature babies receive this vital food .

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