How should thawed BM taste?

[kismetbaby]

Or how do you know if its bad? I SAH so I don't have a lot of experience with freezing BM, but I do pump and freeze for occasional use.

I had a bag of frozen breast milk that was dated 2.20 (so just a month ago) that I pulled out of the freezer and let thaw in the fridge. It had been in the fridge for I guess two days. This morning I added some of the milk to some mashed sweet potatoes for my LO and I tasted a little of it before giving it to him and I literally gagged! It was so sour! I know how fresh BM tastes and this was positively gross in comparison. . .really seemed "bad"/soured to me. But how would I know?

Would you throw this milk or use it? I assume frozen milk tastes different, but it shouldn't taste awful should it? Was it thawed for too long?

[Asiago]

It sounds like the lipase (a normal enzyme in breast milk) may have soured it.

If you scald the milk prior to freezing it, then it will taste fresh and sweet once thawed.

[kismetbaby]

never heard of scalding. . .doesn't this kill some of the good stuff though? I guess its like pasteurization for bm.

[akind1]

you said it was in the fridge for 2 days; perhaps this is why? I thought you were supposed to use thawed milk within 24 hours (I never understood why, but maybe it goes sour way fast?) also maybe an issue, how old was the milk when it was frozen? I know DS doesn't like frozen milk as much as fresh, but we've been better about freezing it sooner, rather than Wait! it is been a few days, we better freeze it before it goes bad! we are freezing right away if we know we won't use it within 3 days. Anything not used within 3 days is frozen.

- HTH

[texmati]

It should taste like milk. If it tastes/smells like soured cows milk, I'd toss it.

I *think* I might have a slight lipase issue, because sometimes my thawed milk tastes soapy/plasticy-- as if I had kept in in a plastic bottle too long. Not bad, but like a mcdonalds milk shake-- just chemically.

[kismetbaby]

so do some people just have more lipase than others? or is it more of a time/oldness factor?

anyone else know about scalding bm?

[texmati]

Check out this link on the lll pages.

http://forums.llli.org/showthread.php?t=297

There are a bunch of women who have figured out how to scald in bottle warmers, which seems more convenient than pots and pans.

From my understanding (which, admittedly could be flawed), lipase is an enzyme that breaks down fats-- it helps the baby digest the fats in breastmilk. All breastmilk has it-- some more than others. The problem is that when we store breastmilk the enzymes go to work, breaking down the fats, and making milk taste... off. The milk is not bad, but does taste different. Freezing or refrigderating slows down the chemical reaction, but does not stop it.

Scalding (pasteurizing) freshly pumped milk deactivates the enzyme, so it doesn't break down the fat's anymore.

Milk that has been noticibly affected by lipase isn't bad or sour. Milk that has gone bad due to age or handling will taste like spoiled milk.

I can try to dig up more links later!

[cristeen]

Kismet - I'll just say I didn't notice any lipase in your milk. My guess is that it sat for 2 days in the fridge after thawing, and it's only supposed to be 24 hours, tops.

ETA - and most BM after thawing is not as sweet as fresh, but it definitely shouldn't be sour.

[kismetbaby]

Thanks texmati--that was good info!
Glad my milk tasted good for you guys cristeen I guess I just need to make sure to use the thawed stuff pronto.
I think for the small amounts I need to make the foods I am giving him a little more liquidy I'll just express a little fresh off the tap!