Why scientists are not able to 100% replicate breast milk to give to infants in case of a mother not being able to breast feed?

Question

Why scientists are not able to 100% replicate breast milk to give to infants in case of a mother not being able to breast feed?

In: 1

Answer 1

Breast milk is a complex mixture of biologic components. It’s not a simple, uniform compound to synthesize. Women are also not 100% identical, so there are individual differences.

More significantly, breast milk is available at relatively low cost. That means that making a really good synthetic at the price of a fine wine (a much simpler mixture) is going to produce almost no sales.

Formula manufacturers have to keep the mixture as simple as possible. Just good enough to work and not so good that nobody can afford it. That range isn’t going to include 100% identical.

Answer 2

Breast milk is a complex mixture of biologic components. It’s not a simple, uniform compound to synthesize. Women are also not 100% identical, so there are individual differences.

More significantly, breast milk is available at relatively low cost. That means that making a really good synthetic at the price of a fine wine (a much simpler mixture) is going to produce almost no sales.

Formula manufacturers have to keep the mixture as simple as possible. Just good enough to work and not so good that nobody can afford it. That range isn’t going to include 100% identical.