Milk Bioactive Components And Role In Human Nutrition

This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "Milk: Bioactive Components and Role in Human Nutrition" that was published in Beverages

Milk is nature’s most complete food, and dairy products are considered to be the most nutritious foods of all. The traditional view of the role of milk has been greatly expanded in recent years beyond the horizon of nutritional subsistence of infants: it is now recognized to be more than a source of nutrients for the healthy growth of children and nourishment of adult humans. Alongside its major proteins (casein and whey), milk contains biologically active compounds, which have important physiological and biochemical functions and significant impacts upon human metabolism, nutrition and health. Many of these compounds have been proven to have beneficial effects on human nutrition and health. This comprehensive reference is the first to address such a wide range of topics related to milk production and human health, including: mammary secretion, production, sanitation, quality standards and chemistry, as well as nutrition, milk allergies, lactose intolerance, and the bioactive and therapeutic compounds found in milk. In addition to cow’s milk, the book also covers the milk of non-bovine dairy species which is of economic importance around the world. The Editors have assembled a team of internationally renowned experts to contribute to this exhaustive volume which will be essential reading for dairy scientists, nutritionists, food scientists, allergy specialists and health professionals.

Dairy foods have huge potential concerning functional foods. Therefore, there is a tremendous amount of interest in value-added milk products and the identification of components in food which have health benefits. This book provides an overview of these derived components and their diverse activities including: the stimulation of beneficial microflora, alerting the immune system to the presence of potential pathogens and allergens, binding and eliminating toxins, etc.

The major emphasis in this book is a compilation and definition of what is known about components of human milk, including glycoconjugates, that inhibit common pathogens of the infant. Also discussed are other bioactive constituents whose relevant biological roles are also beginning to be defined. Hormonal and cytokine activity, immunomodulating and autoinflammatory agents, xenobiotics, and conditionally essential nutrients in milk could have roles in the protection of the infant, but may also participate in digestive processes, maternal-infant communication, maturation of the gut, central nervous system, and other components of infant growth and development. Like the protective activities, these are discussed in terms of their presence in milk, structures, potential functions, and structure/function relationship. Components whose role is nutritional support during early development of the infant are also included.

The role of milk during the life cycle -- a global view Milk, the first and for a time only source of nutrition for mammals, influences early growth and development and may provide a foundation for health throughout the entire lifespan. It is therefore mandatory that milk substitutes have a composition which fulfills the same goals and confers as close as possible the overall health benefits of human milk. Moreover, in many populations, milk continues to play a major role in a healthy and balanced diet throughout life: During childhood, pregnancy and adulthood, intake of cow's milk has important beneficial effects on linear growth, bone development and the risk of developing caries, and it is important in the prevention and treatment of undernutrition in low-income countries. This publication contains the presentations and discussions of the Nestl Nutrition Institute Workshop held in Marrakech in March 2010. It focuses on three main topics: milk during pregnancy and infancy, milk during childhood in low- and high-income countries, and general aspects of milk in adult nutrition. Together, these contributions cover most aspects of milk during the life cycle in a global perspective, making the publication a comprehensive textbook.

Although bioactive compounds in milk and dairy products have been extensively studied during the last few decades – especially in human and bovine milks and some dairy products – very few publications on this topic are available, especially in other dairy species’ milk and their processed dairy products. Also, little is available in the areas of bioactive and nutraceutical compounds in bovine and human milks, while books on other mammalian species are non-existent. Bioactive Components in Milk and Dairy Products extensively covers the bioactive components in milk and dairy products of many dairy species, including cows, goats, buffalo, sheep, horse, camel, and other minor species. Park has assembled a group of internationally reputed scientists in the forefront of functional milk and dairy products, food science and technology as contributors to this unique book. Coverage for each of the various dairy species includes: bioactive proteins and peptides; bioactive lipid components; oligosaccharides; growth factors; and other minor bioactive compounds, such as minerals, vitamins, hormones and nucleotides, etc. Bioactive components are discussed for manufactured dairy products, such as caseins, caseinates, and cheeses; yogurt products; koumiss and kefir; and whey products. Aimed at food scientists, food technologists, dairy manufacturers, nutritionists, nutraceutical and functional foods specialists, allergy specialists, biotechnologists, medical and health professionals, and upper level students and faculty in dairy and food sciences and nutrition, Bioactive Components in Milk and Dairy Products is an important resource for those who are seeking nutritional, health, and therapeutic values or product technology information on milk and dairy products from the dairy cow and speciesbeyond. Areas featured are: Unique coverage of bioactive compounds in milks of the dairy cow and minor species, including goat, sheep, buffalo, camel, and mare Identifies bioactive components and their analytical isolation methods in manufactured dairy products, such as caseins, caseinates, and cheeses; yogurt products; koumiss and kefir; and whey products Essential for professionals as well as biotechnology researchers specializing in functional foods, nutraceuticals, probiotics, and prebiotics Contributed chapters from a team of world-renowned expert scientists

There continues to be strong interest within the food industry in developing new products which offer functional health benefits to the consumer. The premium prices that can be charged make these added-value products lucrative for manufacturers, and they are also commercially popular. Dairy foods are central to this sector: they are good delivery systems for functional foods (yoghurts, milk drinks, spreads) and are also rich in compounds which can be extracted and used as functional ingredients in other food types. Milk and Dairy Products as Functional Foods draws together a wealth of information regarding the functional health benefits of milk and dairy products. It examines the physiological role and the claimed health effects of dairy constituents such as proteins, bioactive peptides, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), omega 3 fatty acids vitamin D and calcium. These constituents have been shown to be, for example, anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, hypocholesterolemic, immune-modulating and antimicrobial. This book examines the evidence for these claims, and investigates practical approaches for utilising these attributes. The book is aimed at dairy scientists and technologists in industry and academia, general food scientists and technologists, microbiologists and nutritionists together with all those involved in the formulation and production of functional food products.

"Mother's milk provides a wide variety of health benefits for infants, which is why breast feeding is highly recommended all over the world. This monograph provides details about the nutritional and bioactive properties of human milk, explaining the significance of this natural source of food. Chapter One describes how lactic acid bacteria present in human milk plays a critical role in establishing an immunocompetent microbiome in newborns, inducing multifarious health-promoting activities required to successfully initiate the life process. Chapter Two describes how the fatty acid profile of breastmilk varies according to the needs of the infant, particularly depending on the gestational age of the newborn, but also as a result of the mother's diet. Chapter Three summarizes the current literature on the composition of human milk and its life-course functional effects on health outcomes"--