Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) Project on Microbiota of MilksOctober 14, 2018

Joint Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) Project (2017-2019)

Deliberating Evidence of Risks and Benefits Posed by Microbiota of Milks

Working Draft of October 14, 2018

Prepared by Margaret E. Coleman

Microbiologist, Coleman Scientific Consulting/Upstate NY SRA President

Regulators and stakeholders around the world differ in their perceptions of risks and benefits of fresh unprocessed milks (human and bovine) and pasteurized milks. Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) partners began outreach documenting the state of the science on the microbiota of milks and engaging in dialogue with SRA practitioners and other stakeholders through Phase I of this project on the microbiota of milks, a 2017 webinar series (see for slide sets).

Phase II of the SRA project is a round table panel symposium at the annual meeting in Arlington, VA (12/12/17). Two SRA Past-Presidents (Ann Bostrom and Warner North) will moderate the symposium based on evidence for risks and benefits of fresh unprocessed mother’s milk and pasteurized donor milk to preterm infants. A working draft bibliography (appended) will be updated with studies introduced by panelists and the SRA audience. This bibliography includesclinical studies that demonstrate loss of benefits for neonates in NICU environments that ingest Holder pasteurized donor milk (heat treated at 62.5°C for 30 minutes).

Phase III of the SRA project will continue in 2018 with a 3-day SRA workshop to deliberate the bodies of evidence for both human and bovine milks. International experts in predictive microbiology and microbial ecology of milks, as well as immunologists, microbial risk assessors, risk communicators, and risk managers will present and participate in interdisciplinary exercises with stakeholders to ‘let the data speak’.As demonstrated for other controversial societal issues, the vision and goals of SRA ( align well with the need to provide a respectful meeting place to air competing views of the body of evidence supporting divergent positions about the safety of milks around the globe. The deliberations of participants may identify points of convergence, researchable questions, and communication and management options to balance risks and benefits and promote evidence-based decision making informed by advances in understanding of microbiota compositions and functions.Presenters will contribute manuscripts from the workshop exercises in a special collection for submission to the SRA journal Risk Analysis in 2019 (Phase IV).

For updates and further information, check Upstate NY SRA website ( or email inquiries to .

Key Supporting ReferencesDocumented as of October 14, 2018

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