New Discoveries in Human Health that can Lead to New Markets for Dairymen, Processors and Retailers

摘要

Value added products with their origins in fluid milk have provided the dairy industry with new and exciting markets in recent decades. With new discoveries in human and animal health, even greater markets will be presenting themselves to our industry.One of the newest discoveries coming to light is the role of the intestinal microbiome in human and animal health. These special groups of bacteria that are acquired while traversing the birth canal are highly dependent upon milk and its constituents, especially in human infants. Of note is this microbiome is highly sensitive to antibiotic residues. However, when these bacteria can feed upon specific oligosaccharides in antibiotic free milk, it is reported that the children are at the top of the growthcharts, possess improved immune function, have fewer allergies, and exhibit higher cognitive learning scores. There are similar reports beginning to show up in the scientific literature for various livestock species (e.g. better growth rates, improved feed conversions, enhanced immune functions). This information could lead to new infant formula products for humans and neonatal livestock that have ingredients uniquely supplied from our dairy industry.