Human milk microbiome

The human milk microbiota, also known as human milk probiotics (HMP), refers to the microbiota (community of microorganisms) residing in the human mammary glands and breast milk. Human breast milk has been traditionally assumed to be sterile, but more recently both microbial culture and culture-independent techniques have confirmed that human milk contains diverse communities of bacteria which are distinct from other microbial communities inhabiting the human body.

The human milk microbiota which could be source of commensal, mutualistic, and potentially probiotic bacteria to the infant gut microbiota. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines "probiotics" as "living organisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host".