A2 Milk: New Perspectives for Food Technology and Human Health

Abstract

Although milk consumption is increasing worldwide, in some geographical regions, its consumption has persistently declined in recent decades. This fact, together with the increase in milk production prices, has caused both milk producers and the dairy industry to be immersed in a major crisis. Some possible solutions to this problem are to get people who do not currently consume milk to start drinking it again, or to market milk and dairy products with a higher added value. In this context, a type of milk called A2 has recently received attention from the industry. This type of milk, characterized by a difference in an amino acid at position 67 of the β-casein polypeptide chain, releases much smaller amounts of bioactive opioid peptide β-casomorphin 7 upon digestion, which has been linked to harmful effects on human health. Additionally, A2 milk has been attributed worse technological properties in the production of some dairy products. Thus, doubts exist about the convenience for the dairy industry to bet on this product. The aim of this review is to provide an update on the effects on human health of A2 milk, as well as its different technological properties to produce dairy products.

Replacing alfalfa hay with industrial hemp ethanol extraction byproduct and Chinese wildrye hay: Effects on lactation performance, plasma metabolites, and bacterial communities in Holstein cows

“…With the consumption of milk and dairy products increasing worldwide, the number of dairy cattle has increased, and the problem of increasing the demand of roughage resources for dairy cattle has become increasingly predominant ( 1 , 2 ). Alfalfa hay (AH) is a widely used roughage for dairy cows, but it is in limited quantities and expensive.…”

Identification of β‐casein phenotypes (A1/A2) in the milk of the Indian Jersey crossbreed bovine using the high‐resolution accurate mass spectrometer

“…The results of this study are showing homology with aforesaid works in the characterisation of β‐Cn phenotype with the successful application of gel electrophoresis and high‐resolution accurate mass spectroscopy by obtaining the amino acid sequences in the Jersey crossbred animals, as these animals are the source of milk for a large population in India. Same the case of Australia, A2 milk products is covering a good share of the dairy market in developing countries like Brazil, China, India, and South Korea and the production system of A2 milk needs fast and accurate phenotypes screening methods (Fernández‐Rico et al ., 2022). Protein‐based identification of A 2 milk is a key procedure regarding this attempt.…”

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

“…A2 milk appears to be healthier than A1 due to its natural antioxidant activity, resulting in glutathione production increase [ 12 ], and its lower amount of bioactive opioid peptide β-casomorphin 7 (BCM-7) released upon digestion, compared to A1 milk. BCM-7 is harmful for human health, due to its opioid-like activity as a result of binding to µ-opioid receptors, being responsible for pain and symptoms in the gastrointestinal tract as well as in the nervous system.…”