Alternative and Unconventional Feeds in Dairy Diets and Their Effect on Fatty Acid Profile and Health Properties of Milk Fat

Impact of Using Oilseed Industry Byproducts Rich in Linoleic and Alpha-Linolenic Acid in Ruminant Nutrition on Milk Production and Milk Fatty Acid Profile

Milk contains more than 400 different fatty acids, some of which play a positive role in promoting human health. The profile of fatty acids in milk can be enhanced by providing animals with plant-based resources that possess feeding characteristics adequate for favorable changes in the fatty acid composition and increasing healthy fatty acids in milk. This review summarizes the available 41 research studies on the utilization of oilseed industry byproducts rich in linoleic acid (hemp, pumpkin, sunflower) and alpha-linolenic acid (camelina and linseed) in dairy cow, sheep, and goat nutrition; their impact on milk production characteristics; and potential to improve fatty acid composition of milk through the diet. This review illustrates that incorporating byproducts into the diet for dairy ruminants generally does not have any adverse effects on both milk production and composition. A similar trend of improvement in milk fatty acid profile was observed when ruminants were fed diets supplemented with camelina, linseed, and sunflower byproducts, while no significant changes were noted with pumpkin byproducts. Hempseed byproducts showed potential for use as an alternative ingredient in dairy ruminant diets. Nevertheless, more in-depth research investigating the inclusion of selected byproducts is required before valid conclusions can be drawn regarding their value.

Global nutritional challenges of reformulated food: A review

Food reformulation, the process of redesigning processed food products to make them healthier, is considered a crucial step in the fight against noncommunicable diseases. The reasons for reformulating food vary, with a common focus on reducing the levels of harmful substances, such as fats, sugars, and salts. Although this topic is broad, this review aims to shed light on the current challenges faced in the reformulation of food and to explore different approaches that can be taken to overcome these challenges. The review highlights the perception of consumer risk, the reasons for reformulating food, and the challenges involved. The review also emphasizes the importance of fortifying artisanal food processing and modifying microbial fermentation in order to meet the nutrient requirements of people in developing countries. The literature suggests that while the traditional reductionist approach remains relevant and yields quicker results, the food matrix approach, which involves engineering food microstructure, is a more complex process that may take longer to implement in developing economies. The findings of the review indicate that food reformulation policies are more likely to succeed if the private sector collaborates with or responds to the government regulatory process, and further research is conducted to establish newly developed reformulation concepts from different countries. In conclusion, food reformulation holds great promise in reducing the burden of noncommunicable diseases and improving the health of people around the world.

Effects of bovine milk and buffalo milk on lipid metabolism in mice

Buffalo milk contains more polyunsaturated fatty acids than bovine milk. However, it is not clear about the effects of buffalo milk and bovine milk on lipid metabolism. In this study, a mouse model was used to explore the effects of buffalo milk and bovine milk on lipid metabolism in mice. The experiment was divided into three groups: a control group on a normal diet; a bovine milk group infused with bovine milk; a buffalo milk group infused with buffalo milk. We fed three groups of mice (n = 6) for 6 weeks. These results showed that bovine milk and buffalo milk had no effect on body weight gain. Bovine milk increased the content of ApoA1, ApoB and glucose in serum, compared with the control group, but buffalo milk has no profound change in serum ApoB. Remarkably, buffalo milk decreased the content of total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) in the liver lipid profile, and also downregulated the expression of the carnitine palmitoyltransferase 2 (Cpt2) gene involved in the fatty acid oxidation in the liver. This study also found that bovine milk and buffalo milk did not cause the expression of pro-inflammatory factors in serum and colon tissues. This experiment proved that buffalo milk has beneficial effects on the regulation of lipid metabolism, and also does not affect the normal growth and pro-inflammatory response of the colon in mice. It provides a theoretical basis for future in-depth research on the special functions of buffalo milk and the development of buffalo milk functional foods.