Dear all,
I was the lead author of the ABM guidelines for human milk storage, so I 
reviewed all articles I could find on human milk storage last year.
I would not be concerned about the torn bags of milk. Freezing stops 
bacterial proliferation in food, which is why frozen food does not 
become spoiled unless it was spoiled before it was frozen.
The reference for this is -Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. 
Department of
Agriculture. October 2005. 
http:==www.fsis.usda.gov=Fact_Sheets=Focus_On_Freezing=index.asp
Some studies show that some nutrients become depleted over time with 
storage, such as Vit C and Glutathione, an antioxidant. This aspect of 
human milk storage is vastly understudied.
There are NO studies about the effect of freezing milk past 1 year, but 
if you review the US Dept of Agriculture statement, they say that 
adequate freezing will prevent bacterial contamination indefinitely. The 
enzymatic processes in the milk, such as lipase may continue over time, 
and we have no idea how much the milk is changed after 1 year.
I personally wouldn't fret about using milk that is frozen for more than 
1 year, if the milk is being used on an older baby who is eating solids. 
I have concerns about the depletion of some micronutrients when the milk 
has been sitting for so long, so I wouldn't have an exclusively 
breastfed baby rely on such old milk- no facts, just my opinion.

Anne

Anne Eglash MD, FABM, IBCLC
Clinical Professor
Dept of Family Medicine
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
600 N. 8th St.
Mount Horeb, WI, 53572
608-437-3064 (O)
608-437-4542 (fax)
608-550-3054 (pager)

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