Compound in breast milk fights harmful bacteria ▫️Researchers at National Jewish Health and the University of Iowa have identified a compound in human breast milk that fights infections by harmful bacteria while allowing beneficial bacteria to thrive. - Human breast milk has more than 200 times the amount of glycerol monolaurate (GML) than is found in cows' milk. Infant formula has none. - GML is inexpensive to manufacture. Future research will determine if GML could be a beneficial additive to cow's milk and infant formula. - When researchers remove the GML from human breast milk, it lost its antimicrobial activity against S. aureus. When they added GML to cows' milk, it became antimicrobial. - The researchers also showed that GML inhibits inflammation in epithelial cells, which line the gut and other mucosal surfaces. - Inflammation can damage epithelial cells and contribute to susceptibility to both bacterial and viral infections.