Volatile profile of human milk subjected to high-pressure thermal processing

• The conditions of HPT processing tested modified the volatile profile in milk.
• Maillard and lipid oxidation reactions influenced the profile of volatiles in milk.
• The use of HPT processing for shelf-life extension of breast milk still remains a challenge.

High pressure thermal (HPT) treatments consist of a combination of high pressure (500–900 MPa) and temperature (70–120 °C) over a short holding time. The rapid temperature increase during compression and temperature decrease in the product upon decompression could help to reduce the hardness of thermal effects encountered in conventional thermal technologies. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of HPT processing (300, 600 and 900 MPa combined with 50, 65 and 80 °C) on the profile of volatile compounds in breast milk. A total of 50 volatiles, belonging to 6 different chemical groups, were detected in milk samples. In general, HPT processing increased aldehydes, ketones, furans and pyrans, as well as alcohols, however, it did not modify the levels of carboxylic acids, and reduced the content of aliphatic hydrocarbons present in the non-treated human milk samples. HPT processing enhanced the total area content of volatile compounds derived from Maillard and lipid oxidation reactions, these changes being subjected to the intensity of pressure and temperature applied. Given that the levels of volatiles were significantly modified after the application of HPT processing, we can conclude that the range of the intensity of the treatments selected was not adequate to preserve the original profile of volatile compounds in breast milk.