From:    heather <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: "Cow Colostrum" story as better than human milk for infant

>"My wife and I were
>very concerned that Ethan was not able to receive his mother's colostrum in
>her breastmilk....the hospital planned to freeze Renee's (the mother's)
>colostrum, but that was not a comfort because we knew that freezing
>denatures colostrum."

Sad story....what does 'denature' mean? Is this actually a technical
term, maybe  misused, or misapplied?

Heather,
In my nutrition class, we talk about "denature" when we talk about
proteins. To denature a protein is to change it's conformation or shape.
Protein can be denatured by heat (as in the change you see when an egg
is cooked), acid (adding vinegar or lemon juice to milk-- it curdles),
or heavy metals. I'm not aware that freezing denatures protein. I am
also wondering what the authors of that information think happens to the
cow colostrum when it is pasturized.
Lynne Dawson

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html