The European Milk Bank Association (EMBA) was officially launched on Friday 15th October 2010. The Association has its seat in Milan, Italy and welcomes membership from milk banks, milk bank associations and individuals who support the aims of the Association.

The European Milk Bank Association is a non profit organisation which has been established to promote breastfeeding, and milk banking in Europe and to encourage international co-operation between the human milk banks of the countries of Europe.

Meet the Board

Former Presidents

  • Prof. Sertaç Arslanoğlu

    2022-2025 🇹🇷

  • Prof. Enrico Bertino

    2018-2022 🇮🇹

  • Prof. Jean-Charles Picaud

    2015 – 2018 🇫🇷

  • Gillian Weaver

    2012 – 2015 🇬🇧

  • Prof. Guido E. Moro

    2010 – 2012 🇮🇹

A human milk bank collects, screens, stores, processes and distributes donor breastmilk. Donor breastmilk is breastmilk that has been expressed by a mother and provided freely to a human milk bank to be fed to another mother’s child.

The EMBA will promote and support research to improve our knowledge of donor breastmilk and human milk banking. The officers and Board of Directors have been elected to further the aims of the Association. EMBA welcomes news and updates about the milk banks in Europe and any milk banking groups and associations. If you wish to submit a news story or details of new or established milk banks please send them to Rudi Ascherl, coordinator of this website.

Read the EMBA Constitution

EMBA Working Groups

  • Donor Human Milk Processing

    Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Guido E. Moro

  • Human Milk Fortification

    Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Sertac Arslanoglu

  • Indications for donor milk use

    Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Jean-Charles Picaud

  • Maternal diet

    Coordinator: Gillian Weaver

  • Guidelines

    Coordinator: Dr. Nadia Raquel García Lara

  • Microbiology

    Coordinator: Dr. Corinna Gebauer

  • Social, Cultural & Ethical Issues

    Coordinator: Prof. Tanya Cassidy

EMBA Publications

Selected publications produced or led by EMBA and its working groups:

  • Weaver G, et al. Recommendations for the Establishment and Operation of Human Milk Banks in Europe: A Consensus Statement From the European Milk Bank Association (EMBA). Frontiers in Pediatrics, 2019.

  • Kontopodi E, et al. Donor milk banking: Improving the future. A survey on the operation of the European donor human milk banks. PLoS ONE, 2021;16(8):e0256435.

  • Vegan/vegetarian diet and human milk donation: an EMBA survey across European milk banks. Maternal & Child Nutrition, 2023.

We warmly welcome new members!

JOIN US

Please also visit our partners, UENPS (Union of European Neonatal and Perinatal Societies)

www.uenps.eu