Milk and dairy products: good or bad for human health? An assessment of the totality of scientific evidence

Dietary anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial medicinal plants and its compounds in bovine mastitis associated impact on human life

Bovine mastitis (BM) is the most common bacterial mediated inflammatory disease in the dairy cattle that causes huge economic loss to the dairy industry due to decreased milk quality and quantity. Milk is the essential food in the human diet, and rich in crucial nutrients that helps in lowering the risk of diseases like hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. The main causative agents of the disease include various gram negative, and positive bacteria, along with other risk factors such as udder shape, age, genetic, and environmental factors also contributes much for the disease. Currently, antibiotics, immunotherapy, probiotics, dry cow, and lactation therapy are commonly recommended for BM. However, these treatments can only decrease the rise of new cases but can't eliminate the causative agents, and they also exhibit several limitations. Hence, there is an urgent need of a potential source that can generate a typical and ideal treatment to overcome the limitations and eliminate the pathogens. Among the various sources, medicinal plants and its derived products always play a significant role in drug discovery against several diseases. In addition, they are also known for its low toxicity and minimum resistance features. Therefore, plants and its compounds that possess anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties can serve better in bovine mastitis. In addition, the plants that are serving as a food source and possessing pharmacological properties can act even better in bovine mastitis. Hence, in this evidence-based study, we particularly review the dietary medicinal plants and derived products that are proven for anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects. Moreover, the role of each dietary plant and its compounds along with possible role in the management of bovine mastitis are delineated. In this way, this article serves as a standalone source for the researchers working in this area to help in the management of BM.

A comparative analysis of the nutritional composition of several dairy products in the Romanian market

The aim of this study was to provide customers with additional information by analyzing and comparing the nutritional data of different dairy product varieties in Romania. Milk is an ideal source of nutrition because it contains a balanced combination of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, and vitamins. In this study, the nutritional constituents of dairy products from Romania were examined. In total, the nutritional characteristics of 143 dairy products: milk (N-42), sour cream (N-37), cheese (N-40) and butter (N-24) (energetic value, fat content, fat of which saturated fatty acids, carbohydrates, sugar, proteins, salt, calcium) were collected from the market and statistically analyzed. The average energy values of the studied dairy products were 188/261 kJ/100 ml for milk, 610/739/1091 kJ/100 g for sour cream, 2359/3022 kJ/100 g for butter and 1306 kJ/100 g for cheese. The fat concentration of the studied products was standardized. Based on the cluster analysis, some products whose characteristics differed significantly included Gordon milk (1.5%, 3.5%), Keresztúri and Szépvízi cheese.

Milk Consumption and Its Association with Dental Caries: Gender-Specific Insights from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013-2015)

Background and Objectives: This study aims to bridge these gaps by utilizing data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013-2015), examining the nuanced associations between milk consumption's quantity, frequency, and type and the prevalence of dental caries. Materials and Methods: Utilizing data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013-2015), this study explores the association between milk consumption and the prevalence of dental caries in a sample of 4843 subjects (weighted n = 15,581), including 2856 males and 1987 females; weighted sample sizes were 6656 and 8925 for men and women, respectively. The prevalence of dental caries was assessed by evaluating the number of decayed, filled, and missing teeth. Results: The analysis demonstrated a significant positive association between increased milk consumption and the risk of developing dental caries, with an overall odds ratio of 1.653 (95% CI: 1.153-2.370, p < 0.05). The association was more pronounced in females, exhibiting an odds ratio of 1.865 (95% CI: 1.157-3.006, p < 0.05), and age was identified as a significant variable, particularly among participants aged 50 and above. In contrast, the relationship among the male group, though positive (odds ratio: 1.613, 95% CI: 0.991-2.625), was not statistically significant (p = 0.054). Conclusion: These findings suggest that milk consumption may be a potential risk indicator for dental caries, particularly among women, emphasizing the need for targeted dietary recommendations in dental health practices.

Milk and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei BL23 effects on intestinal responses in a murine model of colitis

Probiotic-containing fermented dairy foods have the potential to benefit human health, but the importance of the dairy matrix for efficacy remains unclear. We investigated the capacity of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei BL23 in phosphate-buffered saline (BL23-PBS), BL23-fermented milk (BL23-milk), and milk to modify intestinal and behavioral responses in a dextran sodium sulfate (DSS, 3% wt/vol) mouse model of colitis. Significant sex-dependent differences were found such that female mice exhibited more severe colitis, greater weight loss, and higher mortality rates. Sex differences were also found for ion transport ex vivo, colonic cytokine and tight junction gene expression, and fecal microbiota composition. Measurements of milk and BL23 effects showed BL23-PBS consumption improved weight recovery in females, whereas milk resulted in better body weight recovery in males. Occludin and Claudin-2 gene transcript levels indicated barrier function was impaired in males, but BL23-milk was still found to improve colonic ion transport in those mice. Proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory gene expression levels were increased in both male and female mice fed BL23, and to a more variable extent, milk, compared with controls. The female mouse fecal microbiota contained high proportions of Akkermansia (average of 18.1%) at baseline, and females exhibited more changes in gut microbiota composition following BL23 and milk intake. Male fecal microbiota harbored significantly more Parasutterella and less Blautia and Roseburia after DSS treatment, independent of BL23 or milk consumption. These findings show the complex interplay between dietary components and sex-dependent responses in mitigating inflammation in the digestive tract.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Sex-dependent responses to probiotic Lacticaseibacillus paracasei and milk and the potential of the dairy matrix to enhance probiotic protection against colitis in this context have not been previously explored. Female mice were more sensitive than males to colonic injury, and neither treatment effectively alleviated inflammation in both sexes. These sex-dependent responses may result from differences in the higher baseline proportions of Akkermansia in the gut microbiome of female mice.

Emerging Parameters Justifying a Revised Quality Concept for Cow Milk

Milk has become a staple food product globally. Traditionally, milk quality assessment has been primarily focused on hygiene and composition to ensure its safety for consumption and processing. However, in recent years, the concept of milk quality has expanded to encompass a broader range of factors. Consumers now also consider animal welfare, environmental impact, and the presence of additional beneficial components in milk when assessing its quality. This shifting consumer demand has led to increased attention on the overall production and sourcing practices of milk. Reflecting on this trend, this review critically explores such novel quality parameters, offering insights into how such practices meet the modern consumer's holistic expectations. The multifaceted aspects of milk quality are examined, revealing the intertwined relationship between milk safety, compositional integrity, and the additional health benefits provided by milk's bioactive properties. By embracing sustainable farming practices, dairy farmers and processors are encouraged not only to fulfill but to anticipate consumer standards for premium milk quality. This comprehensive approach to milk quality underscores the necessity of adapting dairy production to address the evolving nutritional landscape and consumption patterns.

The Healthy Fatty Index Allows for Deeper Insights into the Lipid Composition of Foods of Animal Origin When Compared with the Atherogenic and Thrombogenicity Indexes

The aim of this research was to validate the effectiveness of the Healthy Fatty Index (HFI) regarding some foods of animal origin (meat, processed, fish, milk products, and eggs) typical of the Western diet and to compare these results with two consolidated indices (atherogenic-AI, and thrombogenic-TI) in the characterization of the nutritional features of their lipids. The fatty acids profile (% of total fatty acids and mg/100 g) of 60 foods, grouped in six subclasses, was used. The AI, TI, and HFI indexes were calculated, and the intraclass correlation coefficients and the degree of agreement were evaluated using different statistical approaches. The results demonstrated that HFI, with respect to AI and TI, seems better able to consider the complexity of the fatty acid profile and the different fat contents. HFI and AI are the two most diverse indices, and they can provide different food classifications. AI and IT exhibit only a fair agreement in regards to food classification, confirming that such indexes are always to be considered indissolubly and never separately, in contrast to the HFI, which can stand alone.

Using Targeted Metabolomics to Unravel Phenolic Metabolites of Plant Origin in Animal Milk

Milk holds a high nutritional value and is associated with diverse health benefits. The understanding of its composition of (poly)phenolic metabolites is limited, which necessitates a comprehensive evaluation of the subject. This study aimed at analyzing the (poly)phenolic profile of commercial milk samples from cows and goats and investigating their sterilization treatments, fat content, and lactose content. Fingerprinting of phenolic metabolites was achieved by using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS). Two hundred and three potential microbial and phase II metabolites of the main dietary (poly)phenols were targeted. Twenty-five metabolites were identified, revealing a diverse array of phenolic metabolites in milk, including isoflavones and their microbial catabolites equol and O-desmethylangolensin, phenyl-γ-valerolactones (flavan-3-ol microbial catabolites), enterolignans, urolithins (ellagitannin microbial catabolites), benzene diols, and hippuric acid derivates. Goat's milk contained higher concentrations of these metabolites than cow's milk, while the sterilization process and milk composition (fat and lactose content) had minimal impact on the metabolite profiles. Thus, the consumption of goat's milk might serve as a potential means to supplement bioactive phenolic metabolites, especially in individuals with limited production capacity. However, further research is needed to elucidate the potential health effects of milk-derived phenolics.

Characterization of microplastics in skim-milk powders

The diffusion of microplastics in the food supply chain is prompting public concern as their impact on human health is still largely unknown. The aim of this study was to qualitatively and quantitatively characterize microplastics in skim-milk powder samples (n = 16) from different European countries (n = 8) through Fourier-transform infrared micro-spectroscopy in attenuated total reflectance mode analysis. The present study highlights that the use of hot alkaline digestion has enabled the efficacious identification of microplastics in skim-milk powders used for cheese-making across European countries. The adopted protocol allowed detection of 29 different types of polymeric matrices for a total of 536 plastic particles. The most abundant microplastics were polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, and polyethylene terephthalate. Microplastics were found in skim-milk powders in 3 different shapes (fiber, sphere, and irregular fragments) and 6 different colors (black, blue, brown, fuchsia, green, and gray). Results demonstrate the presence of microplastics in all skim-milk powder samples, suggesting a general contamination. Results of the present study will help to evaluate the impact of microplastics intake on human health.

A review of dairy food intake for improving health among black adults in the US

The adult life stage encompasses a range of new experiences, opportunities, and responsibilities that impact health and well-being. During this life stage, health disparities continue to increase for Black Americans, with Black adults having a disproportionate burden of obesity, chronic diseases, comorbidities, and worse treatment outcomes compared to their White peers. While many of the underlying factors for these disparities can be linked to longstanding sociopolitical factors such as systemic racism, food insecurity, and poor access to healthcare, there are also several modifiable risk factors that are known to significantly impact health outcomes, such as improving diet quality, increasing physical activity, and not smoking. Of all the modifiable risk factors known to impact health, improving dietary habits is the factor most consistently associated with better outcomes for body weight and chronic disease. Of the major food groups recommended by the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) for achieving healthier dietary patterns, dairy foods have a nutrient profile which matches most closely to what Black Americans are inadequately consuming (e.g., vitamin A, vitamin D, calcium, magnesium). However, Black adults tend to consume less than half the recommended daily servings of dairy foods, in part, due to issues with lactose intolerance, making higher intake of dairy foods an ideal target for improving diet quality and health in this population. This review examines the current body of evidence exploring the links between dairy intake, obesity, cardiometabolic disease risk, chronic kidney disease, and the most common types of cancer, with a special focus on health and disparities among Black adults. Overall, the evidence from most systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses published in the last decade on dairy intake and health outcomes has been conducted on White populations and largely excluded research on Black populations. The findings from this extensive body of research indicate that when teamed with an energy-restricted diet, meeting or exceeding the DGA recommended 3 daily servings of dairy foods is associated with better body weight and composition outcomes and lower rates of most common chronic diseases than lower intake (<2 servings per day). In addition to the number of daily servings consumed, the specific types (e.g., milk, yogurt, cheese) and subtypes (e.g., low-fat, fermented, fortified) consumed have also been shown to play major roles in how these foods impact health. For example, higher intake of fermented dairy foods (e.g., yogurt) and vitamin D fortified dairy products appear to have the most protective effects for reducing chronic disease risk. Along with lactose-free milk and cheese, yogurt is also generally low in lactose, making it an excellent option for individuals with lactose intolerance, who are trying to meet the DGA recommendations for dairy food intake.

Executive summary: The role of dairy food intake for improving health among Black Americans across the life continuum

Given the complex relationships that many Black individuals have with dairy foods, due to issues with lactose intolerance or other cultural factors, the National Medical Association has made considerable efforts to examine the role that dairy foods play in the health and well-being of Black Americans. Over the last two decades, the National Medical Association and its partners have produced multiple reports on the value of including adequate milk and dairy foods in the diets of Black Americans. These publications have highlighted the impact that inadequate consumption of dairy foods and nutrients have on chronic disease risks. Past publications have also provided evidence-based recommendations for the proper diagnosis and management of lactose intolerance. This new series of evidence reviews focuses on dairy's role in improving nutrition and health among Black Americans across the life course and covers an extensive amount of new research that highlights additional health disparities and provides further evidence-based strategies for the management of lactose intolerance. Much like the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, this work utilizes a life course approach to better address dairy intake on health outcomes for different ages and life stages: 1) pregnancy, fetal development, and lactation, 2) infants, toddlers, and young children, 3) older children and adolescents, 4) adults, and 5) geriatric populations. Overall, the findings and conclusions from this series of evidence reviews continue to indicate that higher dairy intake is associated with reduced risk for many of the most commonly occurring deficiencies and diseases impacting each life stage, and that Black Americans would receive significantly greater health benefits by increasing their daily dairy intake levels to meet the national dietary recommendations than they would from continuing to fall short of these recommendations. However, these recommendations must be considered with appropriate context and nuance as the intake of different dairy products can have different impacts on health outcomes. For instance, vitamin D fortified dairy products and fermented dairy products like yogurt - which are low in lactose and rich in live and active cultures - tend to show the greatest impacts for reducing disease risk across the life continuum, while whole-fat dairy foods may be most beneficial in early life for optimal brain development, and more protein-rich options may be most beneficial in later life to help maintain muscle mass and function.

Enhancing the stability of mung bean-based milk: Insights from protein characteristics and raw material selection

Plant-based milk (PBM) alternatives are gaining popularity worldwide as the change of consumers' nutritional habits and health attitudes. Mung beans, recognized for their nutritional value, have gained attention as potential ingredients for PBM. Nevertheless, mung bean-based milk (MBM) faces instability issues common to other plant-based milks. This study investigated the factors influencing MBM stability focusing on raw materials. We selected 6 out of 20 varieties based on their MBM centrifugation sedimentation rates, representing both stable and unstable MBM. Stable MBM exhibited distinct advantages, including reduced separation rate, smaller particle size, lower viscosity, fewer protein aggregates, higher soluble protein content, and increased consumer acceptance. Major nutritional components such as protein, starch, and lipids were not significant different between stable and unstable MBM varieties. The pivotal distinction may lay in the protein properties and composition. Stable MBM varieties exhibited significantly improved protein solubility and emulsion stability, along with elevated concentrations of legume-like acidic subunits, basic 7S proteins, and 28 kDa and 26 kDa vicilin-like subunits. The increasement of these proteins likely contributed to the improvement in protein characteristics that affect MBM stability. These findings offer valuable insights for raw material selection and guidance for future mung bean breeding to enhance mung bean milk production.

A review of dairy food intake for improving health among black geriatrics in the US

The transition to older adulthood is generally marked by progressive declines in body composition, metabolism, cognitive function, and immunity. For socially disadvantaged geriatric populations such as Black Americans, this life stage may also include additional stressors, including dealing with discrimination, poor access to healthcare, and food insecurity. These types of chronic stressors are linked to a higher allostatic load, which is associated with accelerated biological aging, higher rates of adverse health outcomes, and an overall lower quality of life. Of the numerous factors involved in healthy aging, a growing body of research indicates that consuming a higher quality diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein foods, and dairy foods, is one of the most potent factors for helping to protect against age-related disease progression. Among the food groups listed above that are recommended by the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans dairy foods are unique in their ability to provide several of the essential nutrients (e.g., high-quality protein, calcium, potassium, vitamin B12, and vitamin D in fortified products) that are most often inadequately consumed by older Black Americans. However, dairy is the most inadequately consumed food group in the US, with older Black adults consuming fewer than half of the 3 daily recommended servings. Therefore, this review examines the current body of evidence exploring the links between dairy intake and age-related disease risk, with a special focus on health and disparities among older Black Americans. Overall, the evidence from most systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses focused on dairy intake and musculoskeletal health suggest that higher dairy intake across the life span, and especially from fermented and fortified products, is associated with better bone and muscle health outcomes in older adults. The evidence on dairy intake and neurocognitive and immune outcomes among older adults holds significant promise for potential benefits, but most of these results are sourced from individual studies or narrative reviews and are not currently corroborated in systematic reviews or meta-analyses. Additionally, most of the research on dairy intake and age-related disease risk has been performed in White populations and can only be extrapolated to Black populations. Nonetheless, older Black populations who do not meet the DGA recommended 3 servings of dairy per day due to lactose intolerance, restrictive dietary patterns, or for other reasons, are likely falling short of several of the nutritional requirements necessary to support healthy aging.

The role of dairy food intake for improving health among black Americans across the life continuum: A summary of the evidence

Decades of health data show major health disparities occurring at every life stage between Black and White Americans. These disparities include greater mortality rates among Black mothers and their offspring, higher levels of malnutrition and obesity among Black children and adolescents, and a higher burden of chronic disease and lower life expectancy for Black adults. Although nutrition is only one of many factors that influence human health and well-being across the life continuum, a growing body of research continues to demonstrate that consuming a healthy dietary pattern is one of the most dominant factors associated with increased longevity, improved mental health, improved immunity, and decreased risk for obesity and chronic disease. Unfortunately, large percentages of Black Americans tend to consume inadequate amounts of several essential nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium; and simultaneously consume excessive amounts of fast foods and sugar-sweetened beverages to a greater degree than other racial/ethnic groups. Therefore, strategies that can help improve dietary patterns for Black Americans could make up a major public health opportunity for reducing nutrition-related diseases and health disparities across the life course. A key intervention strategy to improve diet quality among Black Americans is to focus on increasing the intake of nutrient-rich dairy foods, which are significantly underconsumed by most Black Americans. Compared to other food group, dairy foods are some of the most accessible and affordable sources of essential nutrients like vitamin A, D, and B12, calcium, magnesium, potassium, selenium, and zinc in the food supply, as well as being some of the primary sources of several health-promoting bioactive compounds, including polar lipids, bioactive proteins and peptides, oligosaccharides, and live and active cultures in fermented products. Given the complex relationships that many Black Americans have with dairy foods, due to issues with lactose intolerance, and/or negative perceptions about the health effects of dairy foods, there is still a need to examine the role that dairy foods play in the health and well-being of Black Americans of all ages and life stages. Therefore, the National Medical Association and its partners have produced multiple reports on the value of including adequate dairy in the diet of Black Americans. This present summary paper and its associated series of evidence reviews provide an examination of an immense amount of research focused on dairy intake and health outcomes, with an emphasis on evidence-based strategies for improving the health of Black Americans. Overall, the findings and conclusions from this body of research continue to indicate that higher dairy intake is associated with reduced risk for many of the most commonly occurring deficiencies and diseases impacting each life stage, and that Black Americans would receive significantly greater health benefits by increasing their daily dairy intake levels to meet the national recommendations than they would from continuing to fall short of these recommendations. However, these recommendations must be considered with appropriate context and nuance as the intake of different dairy products can have different impacts on health outcomes. For instance, vitamin D fortified dairy products and fermented dairy products like yogurt - which are low in lactose and rich in live and active cultures - tend to show the greatest benefits for improved health. Importantly, there are significant limitations to these research findings for Black Americans, especially as they relate to reproductive and child health, since most of the research on dairy intake and health has failed to include adequate representation of Black populations or to sufficiently address the role of dairy intake during the most vulnerable life stages, such as pregancy, lactation, fetal development, early childhood, and older age. This population and these life stages require considerably more research and policy attention if health equity is ever to be achieved for Black Americans. Sharing and applying the learnings from this summary paper and its associated series of evidence reviews will help inform and empower nutrition and health practitioners to provide more evidence-based dietary recommendations for improving the health and well-being of Black Americans across the life course.

Genetically Determined Circulating Lactase/Phlorizin Hydrolase Concentrations and Risk of Colorectal Cancer: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study

Previous research has found that milk is associated with a decreased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, it is unclear whether the milk digestion by the enzyme lactase-phlorizin hydrolase (LPH) plays a role in CRC susceptibility. Our study aims to investigate the direct causal relationship of CRC risk with LPH levels by applying a two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) strategy. Genetic instruments for LPH were derived from the Fenland Study, and CRC-associated summary statistics for these instruments were extracted from the FinnGen Study, PLCO Atlas Project, and Pan-UK Biobank. Primary MR analyses focused on a cis-variant (rs4988235) for LPH levels, with results integrated via meta-analysis. MR analyses using all variants were also undertaken. This analytical approach was further extended to assess CRC subtypes (colon and rectal). Meta-analysis across the three datasets illustrated an inverse association between genetically predicted LPH levels and CRC risk (OR: 0.92 [95% CI, 0.89-0.95]). Subtype analyses revealed associations of elevated LPH levels with reduced risks for both colon (OR: 0.92 [95% CI, 0.89-0.96]) and rectal cancer (OR: 0.92 [95% CI, 0.87, 0.98]). Consistency was observed across varied analytical methods and datasets. Further exploration is warranted to unveil the underlying mechanisms and validate LPH's potential role in CRC prevention.

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Dairy Consumption Trends: An Empirical Investigation of Accounting Data in China

The COVID-19 pandemic may have had a negative impact on dairy consumption trends. Many dairy products are perishable and have relatively high income elasticity, causing their susceptibility to market fluctuations in general, including those specifically caused by the pandemic. However, the pandemic has also brought some other prospective possibilities. For example, during the pandemic, people paid more attention to nutrition and health issues and increased the number of meals prepared and eaten at home. In consideration of the particular circumstances during the pandemic, the Chinese government issued several policies to promote the population's dairy consumption, and the Chinese dairy cattle sector actively implemented the policy of "guarantee price, quality, and supply". These factors may have caused the Chinese population to increase their consumption of dairy products during the pandemic. Before the pandemic, the consumption of dairy products in the Chinese population showed an overall upward trend. The question addressed in this study is how has COVID-19 affected dairy consumption trends during the pandemic? This study uses accounting data from the Chinese dairy cattle sector to empirically analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dairy consumption trends through economic theories and translog revenue function. Our study found that COVID-19 increased consumers' consumption of dairy products in China, but those people experiencing poverty may still have experienced inadequate dairy intake. This study has contributed to the body of work in this area in the literature and provides response strategies for the dairy cattle sector and the authorities.

A 30-year trend of dairy consumption and its determinants among income groups in Iranian households

Introduction

Milk and dairy products provide essential nutrients and have the potential to prevent chronic diseases, thus reducing healthcare costs. However, there is a lack of consistent and updated data on dairy consumption trends in Iran. This study aims to analyze the trends in dairy consumption among Iranian households from 1991 to 2021, focusing on household-level determinants across different expense groups.

Methods

The study uses data from the Iranian Household Expenditure and Income Survey conducted annually from 1991 to 2021 to analyze households' dairy consumption. The data includes values and expenses of food and non-food items purchased in the previous month, as well as demographic characteristics of household members. The households were categorized into 10 deciles based on their gross expense. The econometric model used weighted mean per capita milk, yogurt, cheese, and total dairy consumption based on milk equivalent for each decile. The model takes into account changes in income, prices, household composition, education level, occupation, and residency area using panel data. Data preparation and model estimation were performed using RStudio and STATA17 software.

Results

Based on the findings, in 1991, per capita milk, yogurt, and cheese consumption were 26.77 kg, 16.63 kg, and 2.42 kg, respectively. By 2021, these figures changed to 22.68 kg, 11.06 kg, and 3.79 kg, reflecting a decrease in milk and yogurt consumption but an increase in cheese consumption. Family size was positively correlated with yogurt consumption and head of the household spouse's job score were positively correlated with milk, yogurt and cheese consumption. Also, the presence of under five-year-old children and older adults members (over the age of 60) in the household was inversely related with yogurt and cheese consumption. Female-headed households tended to purchase more cheese, while their milk purchase level was significantly lower. Residing in urban areas was negatively related to milk, while cheese and total dairy consumption was higher in urban areas.

Discussion

The findings highlight the importance of targeted dairy subsidy interventions and educational programs to improve dairy consumption in Iranian households, especially among vulnerable groups. This will require urging policymakers and food system stakeholders for effective strategies that address macro-level factors to promote dairy consumption.

Analysis of milk consumption and dairy products of the Russian population using an online survey

Over the past 20-30 years, the consumption of milk and dairy products in Russia has been steadily declining. An online survey was carried out to find out the reasons for this. The questionnaire was created on the Yandex forms platform with automatic counting of answers. The questionnaire contained 34 questions about the inclusion of dairy products in the diet, the reasons for refusing dairy products, the nutritional value of dairy products, etc. Statistical data processing was performed by the analysis of variance (ANOVA). The significance level was taken equal to 0.05.

Storage Stability of Plant-Based Drinks Related to Proteolysis and Generation of Free Amino Acids

The market for plant-based drinks (PBDs) is experiencing a surge in consumer demand, especially in Western societies. PBDs are a highly processed food product, and little is known about this relatively new food product category when compared to bovine milk. In the present study, the storage stability, proteolysis and generation of free amino acids were investigated in commercially available PBDs over the course of a one-year storage period. Generally, pH, color and protein solubility were found to be stable in the PBDs during storage, except for the pea-based product, which showed less protein solubility after storage. The pea-based drinks also had higher initial levels of free N-terminals prior to storage compared with levels for the other plant-based drinks, as well as significantly increasing levels of total free, and especially bitter free, amino acids. The development of free amino acids in the oat-based drink indicated that the released amino acids could be involved in various reactions such as the Maillard reaction during the storage period.

Cow's Milk: A Benefit for Human Health? Omics Tools and Precision Nutrition for Lactose Intolerance Management

Cow's milk (CM) is a healthy food consumed worldwide by individuals of all ages. Unfortunately, "lactase-deficient" individuals cannot digest milk's main carbohydrate, lactose, depriving themselves of highly beneficial milk proteins like casein, lactoalbumin, and lactoglobulin due to lactose intolerance (LI), while other individuals develop allergies specifically against these proteins (CMPA). The management of these conditions differs, and an inappropriate diagnosis or treatment may have significant implications for the patients, especially if they are infants or very young children, resulting in unnecessary dietary restrictions or avoidable adverse reactions. Omics technologies play a pivotal role in elucidating the intricate interactions between nutrients and the human body, spanning from genetic factors to the microbiota profile and metabolites. This comprehensive approach enables the precise delineation and identification of distinct cohorts of individuals with specific dietary requirements, so that tailored nutrition strategies can be developed. This is what is called personalized nutrition or precision nutrition (PN), the area of nutrition that focuses on the effects of nutrients on the genome, proteome, and metabolome, promoting well-being and health, preventing diseases, reducing chronic disease incidence, and increasing life expectancy. Here, we report the opinion of the scientific community proposing to replace the "one size fits all" approach with tailor-made nutrition programs, designed by integrating nutrigenomic data together with clinical parameters and microbiota profiles, taking into account the individual lactose tolerance threshold and needs in terms of specific nutrients intake. This customized approach could help LI patients to improve their quality of life, overcoming depression or anxiety often resulting from the individual perception of this condition as different from a normal state.

Correlating food and nutritional patterns with cancers in the pediatric oncology population at two specialized hospitals in Tanzania

BACKGROUND

This study of nutritional patterns in relation to cancers among pediatric oncology population in Tanzania was motivated by the lack of up-to-date information about the nutritional practices, the controversy around the importance of nutritional support and the lack of consistent nutritional criteria among pediatric oncology populations.

METHODS

A survey study in two cancer referral hospitals of children diagnosed with any cancers, aged between 1 and 17 years inclusive and being eligible for enteral feeding included 131 children. Their demographic, nutritional, feeding and cancer profiles were analyzed descriptively through mapping and other approaches as well as inferentially using multinomial regression models to understand different aspects of nutrition for children suffering from cancers.

RESULTS

The majority (15% or higher) of pediatric oncology population originated from the lake zone. Between 7 and 12% of pediatric oncology population originated from the Western zone. The top-three cancers with their percentages in the brackets were: Wilms Tumor (32%), Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (26%) and Retinoblastoma (13%). About 69% of the pediatric oncology population ate foods that are rich in energy but poor in protein such as rice (21.5%), porridge (19.3%), banana (11.7%) and potatoes (10.2%). On the other hand, only 17.5% ate foods that are generally protein-rich such as meat (8.0%), fish (5.3%) and chicken (4.2%); and 12.7% ate milk (4.2%), beans (3.4%), vegetables (2.7%), eggs (1.9%) and fruits (1.5%). Cancers impacted food intake in about 60% of all children with cancers and affected appetite in 18.3% of them. Cancers caused vomiting in 16% and diarrhea in 6.1% of children. The majority of children with cancers (61.8%) took at least one meal while 34.4% took just snacks (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of pediatric oncology population had erratic nutritional patterns and took foods high in energy and poor in proteins. There is a two-way interaction between cancers and nutrition in which cancers affect general nutritional intake which could affect the cancer treatment outcomes in return. Therefore, it is important to consider these interactions while managing pediatric oncology populations in this and similar settings.

The glass of milk half-empty? Dairy development and nutrition in low and middle income countries

Dairy products have an exceptionally rich nutrient profile and have long been promoted in high income countries to redress child malnutrition. But given all this potential, and the high burden of undernutrition in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), why isn't dairy consumption more actively promoted in the developing world? In this review we focus on a broadly defined concept of "dairy development" to include production, trade, marketing, regulation, and demand stimulation. We address three key questions. First, how strong is the evidence on the importance of dairy production and consumption for improving nutrition among young children in LMICs? Second, which regions have the lowest consumption of dairy products? Third, what are the supply- and demand-side challenges that prevent LMICs from expanding dairy consumption? We argue that although more nutrition- and consumer-oriented dairy development interventions have tremendous potential to redress undernutrition in LMICs, the pathways for achieving this development are highly context-specific: LMICs with significant agroecological potential for dairy production primarily require institutional solutions for the complex marketing challenges in perishable milk value chains; lower potential LMICs require consumer-oriented trade and industrial approaches to the sector's development. And all dairy strategies require a stronger focus on cross-cutting issues of nutrition education and demand creation, food safety and quality, gender and inclusiveness, and environmental sustainability and resilience. We conclude our review by emphasizing important areas for research and policy expansion.

Lipidomic Characterization of Whey Concentrates Rich in Milk Fat Globule Membranes and Extracellular Vesicles

Lipids from milk fat globule membranes (MFGMs) and extracellular vesicles (EVs) are considered beneficial for cognitive development and human health. Milk-derived whey concentrates rich in these lipids are therefore used as ingredients in infant formulas to mimic human milk and in medical nutrition products to improve the metabolic fitness of adults and elderly people. In spite of this, there is no consensus resource detailing the multitude of lipid molecules in whey concentrates. To bridge this knowledge gap, we report a comprehensive and quantitative lipidomic resource of different whey concentrates. In-depth lipidomic analysis of acid, sweet, and buttermilk whey concentrates identified 5714 lipid molecules belonging to 23 lipid classes. The data show that the buttermilk whey concentrate has the highest level of fat globule-derived triacylglycerols and that the acid and sweet whey concentrates have the highest proportions of MFGM- and EV-derived membrane lipids. Interestingly, the acid whey concentrate has a higher level of cholesterol whereas sweet whey concentrate has higher levels of lactosylceramides. Altogether, we report a detailed lipid molecular compendium of whey concentrates and lay the groundwork for using in-depth lipidomic technology to profile the nutritional value of milk products and functional foods containing dairy-based concentrates.

Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella, and the Prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus in Dairy Cattle and Camels under Pastoral Production System

Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus are common foodborne pathogens. We determined the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella in feces and milk and the prevalence of S. aureus in milk from dairy cattle and camels in the Borana pastoral community in the Southern Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Paired individual cow composite (pooled from all quarters in equal proportions) milk and fecal samples were collected from cows (n = 154) and camels (n = 158). Samples were cultured on bacterial isolation and identification media. E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella isolates were further tested for susceptibility against nine antimicrobial drugs. Different risk factors associated with hygienic milking practices were recorded and analyzed for their influence on the prevalence of these bacteria in milk and feces. The prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella in feces were 3.9% and 8.4%, respectively, in cows, and 0.6% and 2.5%, respectively, in camels. E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella were detected in the composite milk samples of 2.6% and 3.9% of the cows, respectively, and 0% and 1.3% of the camels, respectively. S. aureus was detected in composite milk samples of 33.4% of the cows and 41.7% of the camels. All E. coli O157:H7 (n = 11) and Salmonella (n = 25) isolates from both animal species and sample types were resistant to at least one antimicrobial drug. Multidrug resistance was observed in 70% (7/10) of the E. coli O157:H7 fecal and milk isolates from cows and 33.3% (2/6) of the Salmonella fecal and milk isolates from camels. The prevalence of these bacteria in feces and milk was not affected by risk factors associated with milking practices. Given the very close contact between herders and their animals and the limited availability of water for hand washing and udder cleaning, these bacteria are most likely present in all niches in the community. Improving community awareness of the need to boil milk before consumption is a realistic public health approach to reducing the risk of these bacteria.

Metals in Cow Milk and Soy Beverages: Is There a Concern?

Nowadays, there is an increased consumption of plant-based protein beverages like soy beverages (SBs) as substitutes for cow milk (CM). Both accumulate toxic metals like lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and manganese (Mn), which, although essential, are neurotoxic at high levels. Metals can also perturb the normal development of children. This work aimed to evaluate these metal concentrations in CM and SB purchased on the Portuguese market. After validation of the method, linearity of calibration curves, work range, detection and quantification limits, and selectivity, metals were determined in 14 CM and 14 SB brands using atomic absorption spectrometry. The values were compared between CM and SB and with permissible limit values. Soy beverages had significantly (p < 0.05) higher concentrations of Cd (5.6 ± 4.2 µg/L) and Mn (117.4 ± 30.3) µg/L) than CM (2.15 ± 1.84 µg/L and 5.93 ± 1.21 µg/L, respectively); the Pb concentrations in CM (19.3 ± 12.1 µg/L) were not significantly (p > 0.05) higher than in SB (13.4 ± 9.6 µg/L). These values were similar to other studies and close to but under permissible limit values. Nevertheless, due to the toxicity and bioaccumulation of metals, the fact that these foods are routinely ingested by all ages, mainly children, and represent key ingredients in many processed foods, including baby foods, we suggest strict surveying of metal levels in CM and SBs.

Comparative evaluation of A1A2 and A2A2 cow milk-containing diets on biochemical and histological parameters of Wistar rats

This Research Communication aims to compare the effect of A1A2 and A2A2 cow milk diets on the biochemical and histological parameters of rats. The rats were divided into four groups and fed with a normal diet, A2 milk powder, A1A2 or A2A2 cow milk diets for 90 d. Blood glucose, kidney function, liver function and lipid profile were examined during the experimental period. The study showed an increase in the body weight of the A1A2 group whereas a slight decrease in the A2A2 group, and blood glucose levels increased from d 0 to day 90 in all experimental groups. However, none of these changes were found to be statistically insignificant (P > 0.05). Moreover, no significant changes were recorded in other parameters (serum glutamic pyruvic transferase and serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase for liver function, bilirubin direct, cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine and uric acid). The histology of the liver, kidney and pancreas also showed no changes in all groups. Overall, this study revealed no significant difference in the nutritional values of A1A2 and A2A2 milk types and hence equally beneficial for health. Although the present study showed no significant difference in the effect of both milk types in 90 d, further studies might be conducted to evaluate their longer term effects.

Effect of dietary seaweed (Ascophyllum nodosum) supplementation on milk mineral concentrations, transfer efficiency, and hematological parameters in lactating Holstein cows

This study investigated the effect of feeding seaweed (Ascophyllum nodosum) to dairy cows on milk mineral concentrations, feed-to-milk mineral transfer efficiencies, and hematological parameters. Lactating Holstein cows (n = 46) were allocated to 1 of 2 diets (n = 23 each): (1) control (CON; without seaweed) and (2) seaweed (SWD; replacing 330 g/d of dried corn meal in CON with 330 g/d dried A. nodosum). All cows were fed the CON diet for 4 wk before the experiment (adaptation period), and animals were then fed the experimental diets for 9 wk. Samples included sequential 3-wk composite feed samples, a composite milk sample on the last day of each week, and a blood sample at the end of the study. Data were statistically analyzed using a linear mixed effects model with diet, week, and their interaction as fixed factors; cow (nested within diet) as a random factor; and data collected on the last day of the adaptation period as covariates. Feeding SWD increased milk concentrations of Mg (+6.6 mg/kg), P (+56 mg/kg), and I (+1,720 μg/kg). It also reduced transfer efficiency of Ca, Mg, P, K, Mn, and Zn, and increased transfer efficiency of Mo. Feeding SWD marginally reduced milk protein concentrations, whereas there was no effect of SWD feeding on cows' hematological parameters. Feeding A. nodosum increased milk I concentrations, which can be beneficial when feed I concentration is limited or in demographics or populations with increased risk of I deficiency (e.g., female adolescents, pregnant women, nursing mothers). However, care should also be taken when feeding SWD to dairy cows because, in the present study, milk I concentrations were particularly high and could result in I intakes that pose a health risk for children consuming milk.

Single-step genome-wide association for selected milk fatty acids in Dual-Purpose Belgian Blue cows

The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters and identify genomic regions associated with selected individual and groups of milk fatty acids (FA) predicted by milk mid-infrared spectrometry in Dual-Purpose Belgian Blue cows. The used data were 69,349 test-day records of milk yield, fat percentage, and protein percentage along with selected individual and groups FA of milk (g/dL milk) collected from 2007 to 2020 on 7,392 first-parity (40,903 test-day records), and 5,185 second-parity (28,446 test-day records) cows distributed in 104 herds in the Walloon Region of Belgium. Data of 28,466 SNPs, located on 29 Bos taurus autosomes (BTA), of 1,699 animals (639 males and 1,060 females) were used. Random regression test-day models were used to estimate genetic parameters through the Bayesian Gibbs sampling method. The SNP solutions were estimated using a single-step genomic best linear unbiased prediction approach. The proportion of genetic variance explained by each 25-SNP sliding window (with an average size of ~2 Mb) was calculated, and regions accounting for at least 1.0% of the total additive genetic variance were used to search for candidate genes. Average daily heritability estimated for the included milk FA traits ranged from 0.01 (C4:0) to 0.48 (C12:0) and 0.01 (C4:0) to 0.42 (C12:0) in the first and second parities, respectively. Genetic correlations found between milk yield and the studied individual milk FA, except for C18:0, C18:1 trans, C18:1 cis-9, were positive. The results showed that fat percentage and protein percentage were positively genetically correlated with all studied individual milk FA. Genome-wide association analyses identified 11 genomic regions distributed over 8 chromosomes [BTA1, BTA4, BTA10, BTA14 (4 regions), BTA19, BTA22, BTA24, and BTA26] associated with the studied FA traits, though those found on BTA14 partly overlapped. The genomic regions identified differed between parities and lactation stages. Although these differences in genomic regions detected may be due to the power of quantitative trait locus detection, it also suggests that candidate genes underlie the phenotypic expression of the studied traits may vary between parities and lactation stages. These findings increase our understanding about the genetic background of milk FA and can be used for the future implementation of genomic evaluation to improve milk FA profile in Dual-Purpose Belgian Blue cows.

Factors Associated with Dietary Habit Changes in Korean Stomach Cancer Survivors after Cancer Treatment

The current nutritional guidelines for stomach cancer survivors (SCSs) mainly focus on the influence of the surgical resection of the stomach, with limited guidance regarding a wider range of food options. We aimed to investigate the factors associated with healthier dietary changes in Korean adult SCSs. This cross-sectional study assessed dietary pattern changes after cancer treatment for 11 food categories, using a self-administered questionnaire. A 'healthier dietary change' was operationally defined as a reduced consumption of red and processed meat, grains, salt, and burnt food, and an increased consumption of poultry, fish, vegetables, fruits, legumes, and dairy products. Among a total of 624 SCSs, approximately 60% of participants reported dietary changes in a healthier direction in three or more food categories, while 9.1% reported no changes. There was no significant difference in dietary habit changes between surgery types. Multivariable adjusted analysis showed that elderly and long-term survivors were inversely associated with a healthier dietary change. SCSs with a higher level of educational achievement and income were more likely to make healthier changes in their intake of processed meat, vegetables, fruits, burnt food, or salt. SCSs with higher levels of fear of cancer recurrence, anxiety, or depression were more likely to follow healthier dietary changes regarding fish, meat, fruits, grains, or burnt food. Change in dietary pattern varied across different food items, and was associated with various characteristics of SCSs. It is crucial to repeatedly provide SCSs with information about healthier dietary patterns, considering their sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological characteristics.

Normal-Fat vs. High-Fat Diets and Olive Oil vs. CLA-Rich Dairy Fat: A Comparative Study of Their Effects on Atherosclerosis in Male Golden Syrian Hamsters

The relationship between milk fat intake (because of its high saturated fatty acid content) and the risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases remains controversial. Thus, Golden Syrian hamsters were fed two types of fat-sheep milk fat that was rich in rumenic (cis9,trans11-18:2) and vaccenic (trans11-18:1) acids and olive oil-and two doses (a high- or normal-fat diet) for 14 weeks, and markers of lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis evolution were analyzed. The results revealed that the type and percentage of fat affected most plasma biochemical parameters related to lipid metabolism, while only the expression of five (CD36, SR-B1, ACAT, LDLR, and HMG-CoAR) of the studied lipid-metabolism-related genes was affected by these factors. According to aortic histology, when ingested in excess, both fats caused a similar increase in the thickness of fatty streaks, but the high-milk-fat-based diet caused a more atherogenic plasma profile. The compositions of the fats that were used, the results that were obtained, and the scientific literature indicated that the rumenic acid present in milk fat would regulate the expression of genes involved in ROS generation and, thus, protect against LDL oxidation, causing an effect similar to that of olive oil.

Dietary Recommendations for Ethiopians on the Basis of Priority Diet-Related Diseases and Causes of Death in Ethiopia: An Umbrella Review

Food-based dietary guidelines (FBDG) need to be evidence-based. As part of the development of Ethiopian FBDG, we conducted an umbrella review to develop dietary recommendations. Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM), deficiencies of vitamin A, zinc, calcium, or folate, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were selected as a priority. Systematic reviews were eligible if they investigated the impact of foods, food groups, diet, or dietary patterns on priority diseases. After a search, 1513 articles were identified in PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar published from January 2014 to December 2021. The results showed that 19 out of 164 systematic reviews reported the impact of diet on PEM or micronutrient deficiencies. Daily 30-90 g whole-grain consumption reduces risk of CVD and T2DM. Pulses improve protein status, and consuming 50-150 g/d is associated with a reduced incidence of CVD and T2DM. Nuts are a good source of minerals, and consuming 15-35 g/d improves antioxidant status and is inversely associated with CVD risk. A daily intake of 200-300 mL of milk and dairy foods is a good source of calcium and contributes to bone mineral density. Limiting processed meat intake to <50 g/d reduces CVD risk. Fruits and vegetables are good sources of vitamins A and C. CVD and T2DM risks are reduced by consuming 200-300 g of vegetables plus fruits daily. Daily sugar consumption should be below 10% of total energy to lower risk of obesity, CVD, and T2DM. Plant-based fat has favorable nutrient profiles and modest saturated fat content. The association of saturated fatty acids with CVD and T2DM is inconclusive, but intake should be limited because of the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol-raising effect. Plant-based diets lower risk of CVD and T2DM but reduce micronutrient bioavailability. The review concludes with 9 key dietary recommendations proposed to be implemented in the Ethiopian FBDG. This review was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42019125490).

Specific health beliefs mediate sex differences in food choice

Objective

Although sex differences in dietary habits are well documented, the etiology of those differences is still a focus of research. The present study examines the role of specific health beliefs regarding healthy amounts of food for food choice and its relation to sex, more specifically, the assumption that sex differences in food choices are mediated by differentiating health beliefs.

Method

212 German participants (44.3% female) aged 18-70 answered an online self-report questionnaire on their dietary habits and health beliefs, based on the recommendations of the German Nutrition Society.

Results

Most of the anticipated sex differences in food choice and some differences in health beliefs were found. The mediation hypothesis was partly supported, as the relationship between sex and fruit, vegetable, and fish consumption was mediated by the respective health beliefs. However, no mediation effects were found for meat, egg, cereal, and milk product consumption.

Conclusion

The support for the mediation hypothesis aligns with previous findings and indicates that health beliefs might be an important pathway to fostering healthier food choices, especially for men. Nonetheless, sex differences in food choice were only partially mediated by sex differences in specific health beliefs, indicating that future studies might benefit from parallel mediation analyses to reveal the impact of other relevant factors influencing sex differences in food choice.

Evaluation of the fermentation potential of lactic acid bacteria isolated from herbs, fruits and vegetables as starter cultures in nut-based milk alternatives

Fermentation of plant-based milk alternatives (PBMAs), including nut-based products, has the potential to generate new foods with improved sensorial properties. In this study, we screened 593 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolates from herbs, fruits and vegetables for their ability to acidify an almond-based milk alternative. The majority of the strongest acidifying plant-based isolates were identified as Lactococcus lactis, which were found to lower the pH of almond milk faster than dairy yoghurt cultures. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) of 18 plant-based Lc. lactis isolates revealed the presence of sucrose utilisation genes (sacR, sacA, sacB and sacK) in the strongly acidifying strains (n = 17), which were absent in one non-acidifying strain. To confirm the importance of Lc. lactis sucrose metabolism in efficient acidification of nut-based milk alternatives, we obtained spontaneous mutants defective in sucrose utilisation and confirmed their mutations by WGS. One mutant containing a sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolase gene (sacA) frameshift mutation was unable to efficiently acidify almond, cashew and macadamia nut milk alternatives. Plant-based Lc. lactis isolates were heterogeneous in their possession of the nisin gene operon near the sucrose gene cluster. The results of this work show that sucrose-utilising plant-based Lc. lactis have potential as starter cultures for nut-based milk alternatives.

Insight into the Sustainability of the Mediterranean Diet: The Water Footprint of the Recommended Italian Diet

At present, as we face climate change and natural resource scarcity, one of the major challenges linking humans and the environment is to ensure sufficient, nutritious, safe, and affordable food for a rapidly growing world population. In a nutshell, "feed the world without destroying it". The water footprint (WF), i.e., the withdrawals of fresh water necessary to produce one kilogram of food product, is one of the key indicators of the environmental impact of diets. In this work, the WF of the food patterns suggested by the Italian Food Based Dietary Guidelines, considered a model of the Mediterranean Diet, was evaluated for the first time. The data reported here clearly demonstrate that the suggested Italian dietary patterns have a low WF, the reduction of which by replacing animal foods with plant foods is limited because the suggested consumption of meat is already low. Consumer choice in the consumption of specific products within a food group could further reduce the WF of the diet, underlining the need to provide correct information not only to consumers but also to farmers and producers to encourage them to make water-saving choices.

Plant-Based Dairy Alternatives-A Future Direction to the Milky Way

One significant food group that is part of our daily diet is the dairy group, and both research and industry are actively involved to meet the increasing requirement for plant-based dairy alternatives (PBDAs). The production tendency of PBDAs is growing with a predictable rate of over 18.5% in 2023 from 7.4% at the moment. A multitude of sources can be used for development such as cereals, pseudocereals, legumes, nuts, and seeds to obtain food products such as vegetal milk, cheese, cream, yogurt, butter, and different sweets, such as ice cream, which have nearly similar nutritional profiles to those of animal-origin products. Increased interest in PBDAs is manifested in groups with special dietary needs (e.g., lactose intolerant individuals, pregnant women, newborns, and the elderly) or with pathologies such as metabolic syndromes, dermatological diseases, and arthritis. In spite of the vast range of production perspectives, certain industrial challenges arise during development, such as processing and preservation technologies. This paper aims at providing an overview of the currently available PBDAs based on recent studies selected from the electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science Core Collection, and Scopus. We found 148 publications regarding PBDAs in correlation with their nutritional and technological aspects, together with the implications in terms of health. Therefore, this review focuses on the relationship between plant-based alternatives for dairy products and the human diet, from the raw material to the final products, including the industrial processes and health-related concerns.

Yoghurt Intake and Gastric Cancer: A Pooled Analysis of 16 Studies of the StoP Consortium

BACKGROUND

Yoghurt can modify gastrointestinal disease risk, possibly acting on gut microbiota. Our study aimed at exploring the under-investigated association between yoghurt and gastric cancer (GC).

METHODS

We pooled data from 16 studies from the Stomach Cancer Pooling (StoP) Project. Total yoghurt intake was derived from food frequency questionnaires. We calculated study-specific odds ratios (ORs) of GC and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for increasing categories of yoghurt consumption using univariate and multivariable unconditional logistic regression models. A two-stage analysis, with a meta-analysis of the pooled adjusted data, was conducted.

RESULTS

The analysis included 6278 GC cases and 14,181 controls, including 1179 cardia and 3463 non-cardia, 1191 diffuse and 1717 intestinal cases. The overall meta-analysis revealed no association between increasing portions of yoghurt intake (continuous) and GC (OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.94-1.02). When restricting to cohort studies, a borderline inverse relationship was found (OR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.88-0.99). The adjusted and unadjusted OR were 0.92 (95% CI = 0.85-0.99) and 0.78 (95% CI = 0.73-0.84) for any vs. no yoghurt consumption and GC risk. The OR for 1 category of increase in yoghurt intake was 0.96 (95% CI = 0.91-1.02) for cardia, 1.03 (95% CI = 1.00-1.07) for non-cardia, 1.12 (95% CI = 1.07-1.19) for diffuse and 1.02 (95% CI = 0.97-1.06) for intestinal GC. No effect was seen within hospital-based and population-based studies, nor in men or women.

CONCLUSIONS

We found no association between yoghurt and GC in the main adjusted models, despite sensitivity analyses suggesting a protective effect. Additional studies should further address this association.

Nutrition and Physical Activity as Modulators of Osteosarcopenic Adiposity: A Scoping Review and Recommendations for Future Research

Osteosarcopenic adiposity (OSA) syndrome denotes the confluence of bone, muscle, and adipose tissue deterioration. Being a complex entity, numerous uncertainties about OSA still exist, despite the extensive research on the topic. Our objectives were to evaluate human studies addressing dietary intake/nutritional status and the quantity/types of physical activity related to OSA. The search in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases was conducted to examine relevant articles published from inception to the end of December 2022, utilizing the MeSH strings in the search strategy. Only studies published in English and conducted in humans (≥18 years) without chronic conditions (cancers, kidney/liver disease) or pregnancy were used. Book chapters, abstracts-only, and studies in which participants did not have all three body composition components measured to identify OSA or when body composition components could not be related to the independent/exposure variables were excluded. A total of n = 1020 articles were retrieved from all three databases and eight more from the reference lists. After the exclusion of duplicates and other unsuitable articles, n = 23 studies were evaluated. Among those, eleven were from epidemiological or cross-sectional studies relating nutrients/dietary intake or nutritional status with OSA. Another four examined the relationship between serum biomarkers (vitamin D and ferritin) with OSA, while eight articles presented the results of the interventional studies with resistance training. Overall, higher protein, calcium, potassium, and vitamins D and C intakes emerged as nutrients positively modifying OSA, along with a diet higher in fruits and low-fat dairy foods. Higher serum vitamin D and ferritin were respectively positively and negatively related to OSA. Resistance training was a safe intervention yielding several beneficial outcomes for the OSA syndrome in older women.

Associations between dairy intake and mortality due to all-cause and cardiovascular disease: the Japan Public Health Center-based prospective study

BACKGROUND

Some studies have investigated the relation between dairy products and mortality, but with inconsistent results.

OBJECTIVE

We examined the association between the consumption of dairy products and the risk of all-cause, cancer-related, and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related mortality.

METHODS

From the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective (JPHC) study, 43,117 males and 50,193 females with no history of cancer or CVD finished the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and were included in the study. Intake of dairy products was assessed using the FFQ and adjusted for total energy by using the residual method. We used multivariate Cox proportional hazard models to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for mortality risk in males and females.

RESULTS

14,211 deaths in males and 9547 deaths in females from all causes were identified during an average follow-up of 19.3 years. For males, total dairy consumption was nonlinearly and significantly associated with lower risk of mortality from all causes [the third quartile, HR = 0.87 (0.83, 0.91), the fourth quartile, HR = 0.89 (0.85, 0.94), P for nonlinearity < 0.001] and CVD [the third quartile, HR = 0.77 (0.70, 0.85), the fourth quartile, HR = 0.78 (0.70, 0.86), P for nonlinearity < 0.001]. Milk and fermented milk intake were inversely associated with all-cause and CVD-related mortality in males. Cheese consumption was inversely associated with CVD-related mortality among males. There was no association between total dairy intake and mortality risk among females.

CONCLUSION

For Japanese people, consumption of dairy products was associated with a decreased risk of mortality from all-cause and cardiovascular diseases among males.

Nutrigenomics in the context of evolution

Nutrigenomics describes the interaction between nutrients and our genome. Since the origin of our species most of these nutrient-gene communication pathways have not changed. However, our genome experienced over the past 50,000 years a number of evolutionary pressures, which are based on the migration to new environments concerning geography and climate, the transition from hunter-gatherers to farmers including the zoonotic transfer of many pathogenic microbes and the rather recent change of societies to a preferentially sedentary lifestyle and the dominance of Western diet. Human populations responded to these challenges not only by specific anthropometric adaptations, such as skin color and body stature, but also through diversity in dietary intake and different resistance to complex diseases like the metabolic syndrome, cancer and immune disorders. The genetic basis of this adaptation process has been investigated by whole genome genotyping and sequencing including that of DNA extracted from ancient bones. In addition to genomic changes, also the programming of epigenomes in pre- and postnatal phases of life has an important contribution to the response to environmental changes. Thus, insight into the variation of our (epi)genome in the context of our individual's risk for developing complex diseases, helps to understand the evolutionary basis how and why we become ill. This review will discuss the relation of diet, modern environment and our (epi)genome including aspects of redox biology. This has numerous implications for the interpretation of the risks for disease and their prevention.

Exploring the Role of Dairy Products In Sleep Quality: From Population Studies to Mechanistic Evaluations

Poor sleep quality and insufficient sleep affect a large portion of the population. This is concerning given increasing evidence that poor sleep health is a behavioral risk factor for the development of cardiometabolic diseases. A healthy diet is associated with a plethora of favorable health outcomes, and emerging research now highlights diet as a potential determinant of sleep health that could be leveraged to improve sleep quality. Dairy products are notably rich in tryptophan (Trp), a key substrate for serotonin and melatonin production, which are instrumental for initiating and maintaining sleep. Furthermore, dairy products provide a range of micronutrients that serve as cofactors in the synthesis of melatonin from Trp, which could contribute to sleep-promoting effects. In this review, we evaluate population studies and clinical trials to examine a possible link between dairy consumption and sleep. Available epidemiologic studies illustrate positive associations between dairy intake and sleep outcomes. Moreover, some intervention studies support a causal effect of dairy intake on sleep. Given these data, we discuss potential mechanisms, invite additional clinical research on this topic, and provide insights on how limitations of current studies can be addressed in future trials.

Variation in macrominerals and trace elements in cows' retail milk and implications for consumers nutrition

Based on previous farm-level studies, this study hypothesised that production system (conventional, CON; organic, ORG; channel island, CHA) and season would cause variation in the concentrations of macrominerals and trace elements in retail milk. On average, milk retained its status as an excellent source of Ca, P, I, and Mo across different demographics, and a very good source of K, Mg, and Zn for children. Compared with CON and ORG, CHA milk contained higher concentrations of Ca, Mg, P, Cu, Mn, and Zn; and lower concentrations of K and I. Macrominerals did not show a clear seasonal pattern but trace elements were all at lower concentrations during the typical grazing season. Variation in mineral concentrations can have implications to Ca and P supply in children, and I and Zn supply across different consumer demographics; while the seasonal variation was more pronounced than that associated with production system.

Deep phenotyping and biomarkers of various dairy fat intakes in an 8-week randomized clinical trial and 2-year swine study

Health effects of dairy fats (DF) are difficult to evaluate, as DF intakes are hard to assess epidemiologically and DF have heterogeneous compositions that influence biological responses. We set out to find biomarkers of DF intake and assess biological response to a summer DF diet (R2), a winter DF diet (R3), and a R3 supplemented with calcium (R4) compared to a plant-fat-based diet (R1) in a randomized clinical trial (n=173) and a 2-year study in mildly metabolically disturbed downsized pigs (n=32). Conventional clinical measures were completed by LC/MS plasma metabolomics/lipidomics. The measured effects were modeled as biological functions to facilitate interpretation. DF intakes in pigs specifically induced a U-shaped metabolic trajectory, reprogramming metabolism to close to its initial status after a one-year turnaround. Twelve lipid species repeatably predicted DF intakes in both pigs and humans (6.6% errors). More broadly, in pigs, quality of DF modulated the time-related biological response (R2: 30 regulated functions, primarily at 6 months; R3: 26 regulated functions, mostly at 6-12 months; R4: 43 regulated functions, mostly at 18 months). Despite this heterogeneity, 9 functions overlapped under all 3 DF diets in both studies, related to a restricted area of amino acids metabolism, cofactors, nucleotides and xenobiotic pathways and the microbiota. In conclusion, over the long-term, DF reprograms metabolism to close to its initial biological status in metabolically-disrupted pigs. Quality of the DF modulates its metabolic influence, although some effects were common to all DF. A resilient signature of DF consumption found in pigs was validated in humans.

Association between Food, Beverages and Overweight/Obesity in Children and Adolescents-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

A healthy diet is essential to prevent childhood obesity, however, adherence to a healthy diet is challenging. The aim of this study was to give a comprehensive overview of the literature investigaating associations between food and beverages and overweight/obesity in children and adolescents in order to identify dietary risk factors. A systematic search was performed in four databases and observational studies were included. Meta-analysis was performed using the random effect model. Sixty records met inclusion criteria and 14 different food or beverage categories were identified. A higher intake of sugar-sweetened beverages increased the odds of overweight/obesity by 1.20 (p < 0.05) (n = 26) and higher intake of fast food increased the odds of overweight/obesity by 1.17 (p < 0.05) (n = 24). Furthermore, higher intake of meat (OR 1.02, p < 0.05 (n:7)) and refined grains (OR 1.28, p < 0.05 (n:3)) was associated with an increased risk of overweight/obesity. In contrast, higher intake of whole grain (OR 0.86, p = 0.04 (n:5)) and more surprisingly sweet bakery (OR 0.59, p < 0.05 (n:3)) was associated with a decreased risk of overweight/obesity. In conclusion, a higher intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and a higher intake of fast food was identified as the primary dietary risk factors for overweight/obesity. Future research is needed to strengthen the generalizability of these results.

Effects of foods, beverages and macronutrients on BMI z-score and body composition in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

PURPOSE

A healthy diet is fundamental for healthy growth and for future disease prevention. However, scientific consensus on how to compose healthy diets for children has not been established. Therefore, a systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to investigate if an independent effect exists between foods, beverages or the composition of macronutrients and body composition in children and adolescents.

METHODS

A systematic search was performed in four databases up to July 2021. A systematic review of randomized controlled studies (RCTs) and meta-analyses were carried out by extracting mean difference (MDs) and standard deviation (SD) and performed using the random effect model.

RESULTS

Sixteen RCTs met inclusion criteria. Beyond dairy, sugar-sweetened beverages and macronutrient composition, no trials were identified for other food groups. Based on five RCTs (n:5), a higher-dairy diet was found to reduce body fat percentage - 0.47 [- 0.92, - 0.03] (p = 0.04). A higher-dairy diet was also found to increase lean body mass (kg) 0.34 [0.06, 0.62] (p = 0.02) (n:2), but did not affect BMI z-score - 0.05 [- 0.16, 0.06] (p = 0.39) (n:4). Substituting sugar-sweetened beverage with non-caloric beverages or flavored milk reduced body fat percentage (- 0.70 [- 0.78, - 0.62] (p < 0.001)) (n:3) but did not change BMI z-score (- 0.05 [- 0.20, 0.09] (p = 0.48)) (n:2). No significant effects were found between different macronutrient compositions and BMI z-score or body fat percentage.

CONCLUSION

Changes in diet from low to higher-dairy consumption and from sugar-sweetened beverages to non-caloric beverages or flavored milk resulted in favorable changes in body composition among children and adolescents. Eligible studies investigating other foods are lacking.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO registration number (CRD42020173201).

An in vitro analysis of how lactose modifies the gut microbiota structure and function of adults in a donor-independent manner

Introduction

Following consumption of milk, lactose, a disaccharide of glucose and galactose, is hydrolyzed and absorbed in the upper gastrointestinal tract. However, hydrolysis and absorption are not always absolute, and some lactose will enter the colon where the gut microbiota is able to hydrolyze lactose and produce metabolic byproducts.

Methods

Here, the impact of lactose on the gut microbiota of healthy adults was examined, using a short-term, in vitro strategy where fecal samples harvested from 18 donors were cultured anaerobically with and without lactose. The data were compiled to identify donor-independent responses to lactose treatment.

Results and discussion

Metagenomic sequencing found that the addition of lactose decreased richness and evenness, while enhancing prevalence of the β-galactosidase gene. Taxonomically, lactose treatment decreased relative abundance of Bacteroidaceae and increased lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillaceae, Enterococcaceae, and Streptococcaceae, and the probiotic Bifidobacterium. This corresponded with an increased abundance of the lactate utilizers, Veillonellaceae. These structural changes coincided with increased total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), specifically acetate, and lactate. These results demonstrated that lactose could mediate the gut microbiota of healthy adults in a donor-independent manner, consistent with other described prebiotics, and provided insight into how dietary milk consumption may promote human health through modifications of the gut microbiome.

Dietary patterns and risk for gastric cancer: A case-control study in residents of the Huaihe River Basin, China

Aim

Evidence linking dietary patterns and the risk of gastric cancer was limited, especially in Chinese populations. This study aimed to explore the association between dietary patterns and the risk of gastric cancer in residents of the Huaihe River Basin, China.

Methods

The association between dietary patterns and the risk of gastric cancer was investigated through a case-control study. Dietary patterns were identified with factor analysis based on responses to a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Gastric cancer was diagnosed according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD 10). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated across the tertiles of dietary pattern scores using unconditional logistic regression models.

Results

A total of 2,468 participants were included in this study. Six main dietary patterns were extracted, and those patterns explained 57.09% of the total variation in food intake. After adjusting for demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, individual disease history, family history of cancer and Helicobacter. Pylori (H. pylori) infection, comparing the highest with the lowest tertiles of dietary pattern scores, the multivariable ORs (95% CIs) were 0.786 (0.488, 1.265; P _trend < 0.001) for the flavors, garlic and protein pattern, 2.133 (1.299, 3.502; P _trend < 0.001) for the fast food pattern, 1.050 (0.682, 1.617; P _trend < 0.001) for the vegetable and fruit pattern, 0.919 (0.659, 1.282; P _trend < 0.001) for the pickled food, processed meat products and soy products pattern, 1.149 (0.804, 1.642; P _trend < 0.001) for the non-staple food pattern and 0.690 (0.481, 0.989; P _trend < 0.001) for the coffee and dairy pattern.

Conclusions

The specific dietary patterns were associated with the risk of gastric cancer. This study has implications for the prevention of gastric cancer.

Barriers to and Facilitators of the Consumption of Animal-Based Protein-Rich Foods in Older Adults: Re-Analysis with a Focus on Sustainability

Older adults may gain health benefits from the consumption of animal-based protein-rich foods, but environmental pressures suggest advocating some meat and dairy foods over others, and understanding the barriers and facilitators for consuming these different foods would be of value. Existing data on the barriers to and facilitators of the consumption of meat and dairy products were re-analysed for differing effects for white, red, and processed meat consumption and for yoghurt, soft cheese, and hard cheese consumption. White meat consumption was associated with fewer concerns over spoilage and waste and stronger perceptions that meat is convenient (smallest Beta = 0.135, p = 0.01), while red and processed meat consumption were positively associated with liking /taste, appearance, and convenience (smallest Beta = 0.117, p = 0.03). Yoghurt and soft cheese consumption were positively associated with liking/taste and medical concerns, and fewer concerns over ability and habit (smallest Beta = -0.111, p = 0.05), while hard cheese consumption was only associated with liking/taste (Beta = 0.153, p = 0.01). Taken together, these data suggest that enhancing or promoting the enjoyment, taste, visual appeal, and ease-of-consumption of the more sustainable meat and dairy options may be of value in encouraging the consumption of these foods in older adults.

Using FIGO Nutrition Checklist counselling in pregnancy: A review to support healthcare professionals

The period before and during pregnancy is increasingly recognized as an important stage for addressing malnutrition. This can help to reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases in mothers and passage of risk to their infants. The FIGO Nutrition Checklist is a tool designed to address these issues. The checklist contains questions on specific dietary requirements, body mass index, diet quality, and micronutrients. Through answering these questions, awareness is generated, potential risks are identified, and information is collected that can inform health-promoting conversations between women and their healthcare professionals. The tool can be used across a range of health settings, regions, and life stages. The aim of this review is to summarize nutritional recommendations related to the FIGO Nutrition Checklist to support healthcare providers using it in practice. Included is a selection of global dietary recommendations for each of the components of the checklist and practical insights from countries that have used it. Implementation of the FIGO Nutrition Checklist will help identify potential nutritional deficiencies in women so that they can be addressed by healthcare providers. This has potential longstanding benefits for mothers and their children, across generations.

Cow's Milk in Human Nutrition and the Emergence of Plant-Based Milk Alternatives

Cow's milk is considered a complete food, providing high-quality protein and essential micronutrients, including vitamins and minerals. For medical reasons or as a lifestyle choice, consumers are replacing cow's milk with plant-based milk alternatives (PBMA); some perceive them as healthier alternatives to cow's milk due to their low saturated fatty acid content and no cholesterol content. However, the nutritional composition of PBMA is quite variable between different types and even within, which makes a comparison with cow's milk a complex issue. Furthermore, the consumption of PBMA has been associated with the development of some diseases in infants and children. Meanwhile, the consumption of cow's milk in human health is a controversial issue since it has been associated with a favorable effect in some diseases (such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer's) and a negative effect in others (such as prostate cancer risk and Parkinson's disease); while in some diseases, there is no consensus in the cow's milk consumption effect. The aim of this review is to make a nutritional comparison of cow's milk with PBMA and to clarify the potential health issues related to their consumption.