Breastfeeding is a really, sort of an overwrought list of benefits for babies and mothers. One powerhouse of nutrition is this milk it is a great contribution to boosting the immune system and brain development. High lipase milk is breast milk that contains an excess of the enzyme lipase, which breaks down fats. This can cause the milk to develop a soapy or metallic smell and taste after being stored, especially when frozen. The milk is still safe and nutritious for the baby despite the altered taste.

Although it is not an uncommon issue for breastfeeding moms, many of them also face an even lesser-known problem which is high lipase breast milk, which is confusing and scary when stored breast milk starts to taste or smell smelly.

This article will describe in great detail how high-lipase milk can be caused, how it becomes relevant to milk, and how to use it for high-lipase milk.

Understanding Lipase in Breast Milk

What is Lipase?

The lactation protein that contains naturally occurring enzymes, like lipase, is found in breast milk, as per Geier. The main function of this is to help break down fats into fatty acids and glycerol that are easier for the baby’s immature systems to digest. Lipase also provides important calories and the fat-soluble vitamins necessary for healthy growth and brain development.

What is High Lipase Milk?

High lipase milk is breast milk with more than normal concentration of the enzyme lipase. Breast milk already contains lipase, a naturally present enzyme, which digests fat so you would have fatty acid and glycerol. In addition, the process helps the babies digest and absorb vital nutrients, especially the fats necessary for the development of the brain and other body parts.

The lipase activity of the mother’s milk is sometimes abnormally high. While this is not bad for your baby, it will change the taste and smell of the milk (and ideally any milk stored long term).

Results demonstrated that a time course can expedite the breakdown of milk fat if high-lipase milk is milked and stored either in the refrigerator or the freezer. This is the reason an unpleasant soapy, metallic, or sour smell and taste (the milk has just been released around the fatty acids) occurs when the milk is thawed or reheated.

Why is Lipase Important?

The problem is that lipase is very important for newborns, in particular.

• IgA, present during pregnancy, helps digest fat before the baby’s complete digestion is ready.
• It enables nutrients that we need to be made more available.
• It may help with any digestive discomfort in babies.
• If the baby lacked lipase, he would not digest fat completely (and consequently, he might not obtain or fully absorb all nutrients gained as a result of being fed).

Why does It Smells Soapy?

Breast milk smells soapy due to high levels of the enzyme lipase, which breaks down fats into fatty acids. This natural process speeds up during storage, especially in the freezer, creating a soapy or metallic odor. Despite the smell, the milk is safe for babies.

How Common is High Lipase Milk?

However, there is no evidence as to how much of the breastfeeding mothers have high lipase milk. Anecdotally, it affects a small fraction of women. Most mothers have no change at all, and for some, the clue is when their baby refuses to thaw or when they start to smell.

Does High Lipase Milk Harm Babies?

No, high lipase milk does not harm babies. The soapy or metallic taste may cause some babies to reject it, but the milk remains completely safe and nutritious. It contains all the essential nutrients and antibodies needed for healthy growth

Safety and Nutritional Value

However, the altered taste and smell of high-lipase milk is good news since the milk is safe and nutritious. ‘All the health benefits of milk are not reduced by the activity of this enzyme,’ says lactation authority and pediatrician.

Some babies are sensitive to changes in taste, however, and often refuse milk that has been stored or feels soapy or metallic, especially.

What are the Causes of High Lipase Activity?

The reason why lactating mothers have different levels of lipase activity in their breast milk is not known completely by researchers. These studies show that there is such natural variation in lipase level apart from the ways of the mother’s life habits, her health factors, and alimentary habits. The lipase is a variant that’s naturally present and, as such, its influence on lactating women’s biology is not due to an environmental cause.

Human milk contains the essential enzyme lipase that breaks down milk fats into fatty acids and glycerol for easier digesting by infants. Essentially, term or older infants need not depend on lipase enzyme BSSL as the primary fat-digesting enzyme in human breast milk as the lipase enzyme BSSL functions to help preterm infants and infants with digestive system immaturity absorb fats.

Potential Factors Considered in Studies:

1. It depends on the genetic makeup of the mother, so the breast tissue makes lipase enzymes and works. Some mothers, run in the genes, produce high lipase naturally.
2. The activity of lipase changes relative to the lactation period. The different milk stages differ in lipase concentrations; how much these variations may vary is only transient and minor.
3. However, poor storage practices such as slow freezing and often excessive thawing activate lipase enzymes dormant in some women’s milk and subsequently bring out visible changes in flavor due to fat metabolism without compromising the nutritional safety of the milk.
4. Only a few studies have been carried out showing that hormone levels in breast milk can differ and, in turn, affect enzymes that aid in the functioning of lipase.
5. If the milk fat in a given woman’s milk contains more fat a larger quantity of its fat gets processed by the enzyme lipase actively; hence, the women produce milk with larger quantities of fat and might also have an increased lipase activity.

Contributing Factors to High Lipase Milk

1. Natural variation in breast milk composition
2. Prolonged milk storage before freezing
3. Temperature sensitivity accelerating enzyme activity
4. In Bloomfield, independent of poor hygiene standards, poor maternal health, and storage errors, high lipase activity occurs.

How to Identify High Lipase Milk

Usually, high lipase milk is detected after mothers discover ‘unwanted odors or flavors’ in stored milk.

Common Signs Include:

• Soapy, metallic, or sour smell
• Bitter taste
• Milk stored in the freezer is excluded, but newly produced milk supply is accepted

Home Test for High Lipase:

New milk production should be placed in either refrigerator storage or proper freezer conditions.

• Check the smell and taste of milk after storage for two days.
• If lipase activity is excessive, stored breast milk will change odor and taste.

Always checking the cleanliness of pump components and storage bags before use is the tip to avoid false allegations of lipase contamination. Milk odor fluctuations are caused by plastic deposits and poor or no cleaning procedures of feeding equipment.

The high concentration of lipase in milk does not cause milk spoilage but is responsible for it having an unpleasant taste and a bad smell.

Does Lipase Cause Milk to Spoil?

Under the right conditions, breast milk contents cannot spoil – lipase cannot. Bacterial infections together with poor storage procedures are the reasons for spoilage. Lipase affects the taste of the milk while altering the smell, breaking down fat which is different from baby formula. The occurrence of spoiled milk to an infant through terrible odors would mean that the milk is rancid or putrefix, and the milk must be discarded.

Managing High Lipase Milk: Solutions and Tips

There are several ways to preserve your milk, despite high levels of lipase, and it will stay of good quality.

1. Scalding Fresh Milk

However, scalding is the most effective method to render breast milk indicate activity before storage commences.

How to Scald Milk:

In the first version, in its clean pan milk needs to heat up until the edges begin to develop tiny bubbles while reaching 180 F / 83 C. Do not boil.

• Remove from heat immediately.
• Cool quickly and freeze.

In milk preservation, liquid heating helps in stopping the lipase enzymes from decomposing fats which helps in protecting the milk flavor. The high nutritional value of milk will not be lost even if some of the beneficial antibodies and vitamins are somewhat also compromised.

2. Shorten Storage Time

Use refrigerated milk within 24-48 hours. Milk should be quickly frozen whenever you wish to store it for use later.

3. Mix Stored and Fresh Milk

Thawed milk is diluted with newly obtained milk to protect the baby from the bad taste of soy, making the breast easier to swallow.

4. Offer Milk Before Taste Changes

Record the milk age and feed or store it before you can detect any taste change.

5. Freeze-Drying

A new technique for preserving milk nutritional content by freeze-drying surfactants is now reported. This milk extension service is operated by food companies.

What If the Baby Refuses High Lipase Milk?

• As infants, they have taste receptors as old as three that cause them to reject milk with soapy and metallic flavors. In this case, if your baby refuses to take thawed milk you attempt different things like mixing it with fresh breast milk along with slow introduction of small amounts or using it for nonfood purposes.
• Refrigerated fresh breast milk should also be included in the high-lipase milk serving.
• By taking it slowly and gradually adding small amounts of milk into the diet of a frail baby, their tolerance can be built.
• High lipase milk can be used rather than thrown away completely, as an ingredient in milk baths and solid foods.

Benefits of Understanding High Lipase Milk

For mothers, high lipase milk is:

• Confidence in their breastfeeding journey.
• Fooding pumped milk is practical.
• Being placated that their milk was still good for their children.
• This is done to provide awareness and minimize the wastage of milk that may be done unnecessarily, and it is also conducive for mothers to make informed decisions.

Professional Advice on High Lipase Milk

Testing milk early while storing for a long time. If necessary to scald but not to ruin the nutritional impact.

• We recommend checking the milk quality with the experts if you don’t know.
• You have great resources of personalized help the International Board Lactation Consultant, and other resources.

Final Note:

It is conclusively proved that high lipase milk is completely manageable. Surprise is to behold that a mother is surprised by a high lipase activity in breast milk, in order to relate to this normal mechanism to solve this problem with confidence. The flavor and smell will be different, but the milk is still supplying nutrition. But mothers can continue safely by using them and reusing them so long as they are stored properly, handled correctly, and advised by experts — every drop is saved.

A suspected high lipase milk problem may be resolved with home tests, simple scalding techniques, and freeze-drying. Remember first and foremost that whatever your body is doing to nourish the baby in your womb is something it is perfectly evolutionarily prepared to do.

 FAQs on High Lipase Milk

What is high lipase breast milk?

High-lipase breast milk contains elevated levels of the enzyme lipase, which breaks down fats into fatty acids. This process can cause stored milk to develop a soapy or metallic smell and taste, especially after refrigeration or freezing. ​

Is high lipase milk safe for my baby?

Yes, high-lipase milk is safe and nutritious. While the altered taste may cause some babies to refuse it, the milk retains all its beneficial properties. ​

How can I tell if my milk has high lipase?

If your stored breast milk develops a soapy, metallic, or rancid smell or taste after refrigeration or freezing, it may have high lipase activity. Comparing freshly expressed milk to stored milk can help identify changes.

Why does my breast milk smell or taste soapy after storage?

The soapy or metallic smell in stored breast milk is often due to lipase breaking down fats into fatty acids over time. This is more noticeable in milk that has been refrigerated or frozen. ​

Can I prevent the soapy smell in stored breast milk?

Yes, scalding freshly expressed milk by heating it to about 180°F (82°C) and then cooling it rapidly can inactivate lipase and prevent the soapy smell. However, this process may reduce some beneficial properties of the milk.

Will all babies refuse high-lipase milk?

Not necessarily. Some babies are sensitive to the taste changes and may refuse the milk, while others may not notice and will drink it without issue. 

How quickly does lipase affect stored breast milk?

The activity of lipase varies among individuals. In some cases, the soapy smell can develop within a few hours of refrigeration, while in others, it may take days.

Can I mix high lipase milk with fresh milk to improve the taste?

Yes, combining high-lipase milk with freshly expressed milk can dilute the soapy taste, making it more palatable for your baby.

Does high lipase milk indicate a problem with my health?

No, having high lipase levels in your breast milk is not a health issue. It’s a natural variation and doesn’t reflect any problem with your health or milk quality.

Should I discard high-lipase milk?

No, high-lipase milk is safe and nutritious. If your baby refuses it due to taste, consider scalding future milk or mixing it with fresh milk. Discarding should be a last resort. ​