Considerable advances have been made in science in order to understand the varied mixture of
bioactive components in human milk. The 94th Nestlé Nutrition Institute Workshop was designed
to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest findings in human milk research and its
potential to modulate mucosal immunity the microbiome and its impact on the neonate. The
publication provides a balanced state-of-the-art update on the current knowledge about milk
mucosal immunity and the microbiome as well as their impact on breastfeeding in mammalian
neonates. The first part reviews data on the immunology of milk and lactation from a historical
perspective to the latest scientific findings. The second part discusses the microbiology of
human milk and lactation in detail with a focus on premature infants and necrotizing
enterocolitis. And finally in the third part light is shed on the protective factors in human
milk and their role in influencing the neonate's immune system. Important new insights will
provide great scientific support for all people seeking a deeper understanding of human milk
and its immunological properties and will enlarge the knowledge of those who have already
specialized in human milk research.
