The Powerful List of Dairy Ingredients
Beneficial "Bios"
Nature’s Complete Proteins
Fuel & Fiber With Carbs
Functional Fats
Beneficial “Bios”
The Goodness Inside of Milk
A new movement in food is discovering and highlighting the “extras” that make certain foods powerful. Naturally occurring in milk are a variety of mineralsGenerally refers to elements other than carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O) and nitrogen (N) that are found in dairy products. The term often is used interchangeably with salts and ash., bioactives, peptides, and pre- and probioticsLive microorganisms, which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host (FAO/WHO definition). Lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria are the most common probiotics., all individual elements that can be isolated through simple processing techniques to utilize in a variety of applications. More research is being funded and completed that highlights the goodness of these beneficial bioactive ingredients, and reinforces the notion that fluid milk, on its own, is a truly powerful product and ingredient.
The term “bioactive” is not yet precisely defined, but has been the subject of substantial dialogue and debate across multiple U.S. regulatory departments and agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control. A draft working definition was put forward in the Federal Register in 2004, as follows:
“Bioactive food components are constituents in foods or dietary supplements, other than those needed to meet basic human nutritional needs, that are responsible for changes in health status.”
Types of Bioactives & Prebiotics in Milk
A wealth of research has been conducted to explore the range of health benefits offered by dairy, some arising from the “matrix” of constituents in a complex dairy food, while others are shown for specific dairy components and dairy-derived food ingredients ranging from soluble fiber to proteins and peptides to polar lipids. A sampling of these bioactive dairy components and ingredients are below.
Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS)
Galaco-oligosaccharides (GOS) are produced when the carb lactose is subjected to a specific enzyme, resulting in an ingredient that is enriched in the soluble galactose polymer at varying degrees of polymerization. GOS is naturally occurring in milk and yogurt and function as prebiotics, meaning they are undigestible ingredients that stimulate the growth/activity of beneficial bacteria in the colon.
Commercially available GOS is available as a clear syrup or a powdered ingredient, depending on the type of product and processing for its end use.
Glycomacropeptide (GMP)
Glycomacropeptide is a bioactive peptide found in milk, which is a fragment of the caseinProtein in milk that precipitates at pH 4.6. protein. It is created during the cheese making process when milk is coagulated with rennet, or naturally when milk is digested in the gastrointestinal tract. GMPglycomacropeptide contains no phenylalanine, which is helpful for those suffering from the genetic disorder phenylketonuria.
It is a peptide with a growing area of recently published research on its positive properties: pre- and pro-biotic activity; direct effects on the adhesion of pathogenic bacteria to the cells which line the gut; anti-inflammatory and immune modulation effects; bone health benefits; and others.
Lactoferrin
In its simplest description, lactoferrinIron binding protein that can inhibit the growth of certain bacteria such as E. coli is a protein which binds iron (specifically, iron III, or “ferric” iron) by virtue of its exact three-dimensional structure. In mammals, lactoferrinIron binding protein that can inhibit the growth of certain bacteria such as E. coli is not found exclusively in milk, but rather is observed in almost all biological fluids, being of especially high concentration in colostrumMilk that comes from cows within 48 hours of giving birth. Colostrum is a concentrated source of biologically active compounds that are needed to promote the health and growth of the calf. and later-stage lacteal secretions. When lactoferrinIron binding protein that can inhibit the growth of certain bacteria such as E. coli is produced alone, it has a high purity compared to enriched products, and has several immune system-boosting properties.
Lactoferrin’s bioactivity continues to be the subject of widespread research which has already yielded meaningful insights about its role as a direct antimicrobial and antiviral, along with understanding about its modulation of the immune system, regulation of inflammatory cell signaling compounds (cytokinesSmall proteins that are involved in the generation of special types of white blood cells and directing white blood cells to injury sites.), and anti-cancer properties.
Milk Minerals
Milk mineralsGenerally refers to elements other than carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O) and nitrogen (N) that are found in dairy products. The term often is used interchangeably with salts and ash. that are typically present in dairy products include calcium (CaCalcium), magnesium (MgMagnesium), phosphorous (P), iron (FeIron), potassium (KPotassium), sodium (Na), and zinc (ZnZinc). When wheyLiquid obtained from cheese manufacture. or permeate is concentrated, calcium phosphate precipitates and we are left with a product that typically has at least 20% calcium along with the other mineralsGenerally refers to elements other than carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O) and nitrogen (N) that are found in dairy products. The term often is used interchangeably with salts and ash.. Milk MineralsGenerally refers to elements other than carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O) and nitrogen (N) that are found in dairy products. The term often is used interchangeably with salts and ash. can also be referred to as whey mineral concentrateSee Dairy minerals (product)., milk mineral concentrateSee Dairy minerals (product) or milk calciumSee Dairy minerals (product).
Osteopontin (OP)
Bovine Osteopontin (OP) is another dairy protein which can be found in most biological fluids and tissues, but especially in colostrumMilk that comes from cows within 48 hours of giving birth. Colostrum is a concentrated source of biologically active compounds that are needed to promote the health and growth of the calf. and later-stage milk, similar to the occurrence of its nearly identical analog in human milk.
OP is a very stable protein, tolerating extremes of heat and pHA measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a material. The pH scale ranges from 0 (acid) to 14 (alkaline) with 7 considered neutral. pH is a measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions and is defined as the negative log of the hydrogen ion concentration. substantially better than many other dairy proteins.
Osteopontin’s biochemical and physiological contributions are vast and have been the subject of decades of scientific research. As the protein’s name might imply, OP has extensive implications for bones and connective tissues; but it has also been studied for a broad range of health influences, not limited to gut health, immune modulating effects, brain development and cognitive function, dental health, and others.
Whey Protein Phospholipid Concentrate
Whey ProteinProtein in milk that remains in water phase after casein precipitates. Phospholipid Concentrate is a co-product of producing Whey ProteinProtein in milk that remains in water phase after casein precipitates. Isolate (90+% protein) through microfiltration resulting in a product that is a mixture of fat and protein. The proteins are soluble in WPPCWhey protein phospholipid concentrate, while the fat composition resembles the composition of whey creamSmall fat globules that were not trapped within the cheese matrix and go with the whey when it is drained from the curd.. WPPCWhey protein phospholipid concentrate includes the Milkfat Globule Membrane, which is newly discovered as another powerful ingredient with incredible infant and aging benefits. Also known as procream, reduced lactose concentrated wheyWhey where a portion of the water has been removed leaving all other constituents in the same relative proportions., and concentrated wheyWhey where a portion of the water has been removed leaving all other constituents in the same relative proportions.whey proteinProtein in milk that remains in water phase after casein precipitates..
Read more about WPPCWhey protein phospholipid concentrate and Milkfat Globule Membrane below and on the Ingredient Bulletin page.
The Benefits of Bioactive Compounds
A paper in the National Library of Medicine for the National Institute of Health (NIH) dives into bioactive compounds in food, describing some of the areas of biological activity that are of specific relevance to foods:
- Mitigation of acute and chronic inflammation
- Role in addressing chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity
- Supporting bone health, such as with osteoporosis and during menopause
- Neuroprotective effects, valuable in treatment of such diseases as Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer’s
A wealth of research has been conducted to explore the range of health benefits offered by dairy, some arising from the “matrix” of constituents in a complex dairy food, while others are shown for specific dairy components and dairy-derived food ingredients ranging from soluble fiber to proteins and peptides to polar lipids.
Exploring Whey Protein Phospholipid Concentrate (WPPC) and Milkfat Globule Membrane (MGFM)
WPPC is an excellent emulsifier and can be a substitute for its commonplace alternative, lecithin, often with the added benefit of removing an allergen from the product labeling (soy, when the lecithin is of soybean origin). WPPCWhey protein phospholipid concentrate also includes more than a little valuable dairy protein, helping to achieve protein fortification goals in addition to functional ones.
Beyond this somewhat basic functional utility, WPPC’s content of polar lipids (particularly, sphingomyelin) and also the intrinsic membrane proteins associated with MFGM make it highly valuable as a nutritional ingredient. WPPC is used most prevalently in infant formula, where it is usually identified in a way that reflects the health benefits delivered by its complex dairy matrix (rather than singling out specific bioactive lipids or proteins); but it is also gaining recognition for applications in the adult nutrition segment of the food industry.
Use in Infant Formula: Focusing on the polar lipid sphingomyelin, this particular phospholipid has special implications for brain development and cognitive function in infants, when neural connections are being formed at an incredible rate and where nerve fibers are insulated by a fatty sheath called myelin, where sphingomyelin is a critical component.
Use for Adults: Sphingomyelin may also have important roles to play in adult health, as the latest research has begun to reveal. This component of WPPCWhey protein phospholipid concentrate can help protect the myelin sheath of nerves in the peripheral nervous system, helping to prolong mobility in seniors by slowing the rate of deterioration in motor function that is caused by loss of myelin insulation through the demyelination process. Polar lipids may also help preserve brain function in healthy adults, and they may have implications for degenerative diseases of the peripheral and central nervous systems, such as for multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s.
