Donors are advised that expressed milk collected for donation should be frozen as soon as possible to maintain the nutritional and microbiological quality of the milk. If this is not possible (for example, because of storage capacity), donors are advised to refrigerate samples collected over 24 hours, and then freeze the batch.

• Expressed milk for donation should remain frozen during storage at home, and if donors have any concerns about storage conditions or freezer temperatures, they should discuss these with the milk bank.
• Donors are advised that frozen expressed milk should be transported to the milk bank as soon as possible. However, if necessary, expressed milk for donation can be stored before transport to the milk bank for up to 3 months in a domestic freezer, at −18°C or lower. If a donor does not have access to a domestic freezer at her home, she may be able to access freezers for milk storage at local donor milk depots or children’s centres.
• Donors are advised that expressed milk can only be accepted by the milk bank if it has been collected and stored in milk collection containers provided by, or acceptable to, the milk bank.
• Collection containers for expressed milk should be used according to instructions provided by the milk bank.
• Donors should check and document their freezer temperature every day. This may mean they are provided with a thermometer.

• Critical conditions for transport are defined, including temperature and time limit, to ensure that donor milk remains frozen during transport.
• Donor milk is transported in secure, tamper-evident containers and packaging.
• Expressed milk from the donors is collected, preferably using an agreed transport provider (ideally a medical courier) or a member of staff from the milk bank. In some instances, donors may be required or may wish to deliver their own milk to the milk bank or depot, in which case they should also follow the milk bank’s requirements for transport as outlined. In all cases, consistent monitoring processes are used, including recording the journey time.
• Expressed milk is collected from either the donor’s home or from donor milk depots, where practices for monitoring freezers and maintaining standards for quality control, storage and security are in place.
• Similar processes are in place in any location where donor milk is stored.