Functional Aspects of Dairy Foods An Overview

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Functional Aspects of Dairy Foods An Overview

• W. James Harper
• Department of Food Science Technology
• The Ohio State University

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Functional Foods

• Functional foods have been defined as any food
  or food ingredient that may provide a health
  benefit beyond the traditional nutrients that it
  contains.
• Many foods and their components, including dairy
  foods, fit this definition

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Functional Dairy Foods

• In the early 1980s, the Japanese were the first
  to recognize dairy components as having
  significant contributions to physiologically
  functional foods. Since then there has been an
  increasing number of investigations that have
  supported this view.

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Functional Dairy Foods

• Current evidence for the health benefits of most
  dairy foods and dairy components is based
  primarily on in vitro and in vivo animal studies
• Human clinical studies are still needed in many
  areas

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Bioactive Functions Associated with Dairy
Products and their Components
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Significant Functions

• Anti-microbial including control of gut
  microflora
• Anti-viral
• Binding of E coli and cholera enterotoxins
• Anti-cancer
• Immunomodulation
• Anti-oxidative
• Opioid effects
• Retard osteoporosis

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Cardiovascular Functions

• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-hypertensive
• Anti-thrombic
• Cholesterol reduction

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Dairy Products and Milk Components with
Bioactive Functions
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Dairy Products

• Yogurt and other fermented dairy foods
• Milk
• Colostrum
• Cheese
• Whey Protein Concentrates/Isolates
• Milk Protein Concentrates

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Almost All Milk Components May Contribute
Potential Health Benefits - Including

• Proteins
• Peptides
• Lipids
• Minor Carbohydrates
• Minerals
• Vitamins

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Relationship between Bioactive Function and Milk
Components
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Protection from Some Cancers

• Whey protein concentrates
• Bovine Serum albumin
• Lactoferrin
• Alpha-lactalbumin
• Peptides
• Sphingolipids
• Conjugated Linoleic Acids (CLA)
• Butyric acid
• Calcium

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Immunomodulation

• Modified whey protein concentrate
• Lactoferrin
• Lactoperoxidase
• Kappa casein glycomacropeptide
• CLA
• Probiotics fermented dairy foods
• Colostrum

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Protection from Hypertension

• Whey protein concentrates
• Immune milk protein concentrates
• Probiotics
• Peptides
• B-vitamins
• Calcium ?

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Anti-Thrombic Activity

• Whey protein concentrates
• Lactoferrin
• Peptides

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Anti-Inflammatory Effects

• Peptides
• Colostrum
• Immune whey protein concentrates

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Reduction of cholesterol levels

• Whey protein concentrates
• Whey protein isolates
• Stearic acid

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Anti-microbial/ Anti-viral

• Whey protein concentrates
• Lactoferrin
• Lactoperoxidase
• Lactoferrin
• Casein glycomacropeptide

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Toxin Binding Effects

• Whey protein concentrate
• Alpha-lactalbumin
• Beta-lactoglobulin
• Casein glycomacropeptide

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Promotion of Bifidobacterial Growth

• Casein glycomacropeptide
• Amino sugars
• Oligosaccharides

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Probiotics

• Lactic acid microorganisms assist in control of
  the gut microflora
• Yogurt
• Fermented drinks
• Strongly strain dependent
• Supported by some clinical studies

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Opioid Like Effect

• Peptides
• Derived from alpha-lactalbumin
• Derived from beta-lactoglobulin
• Derived from caseins

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Antioxidative Effects

• Whey Protein Concentrates/Isolates
• Lactoferrin
• Vitamin C

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Highlighting Some Components Not Covered In
Detail In This Symposium
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Lactoferrin

• Natural SECRETION of milk, tears and bile
• Elevated by inflammation and in some cancers
• Animal studies have shown addition of lactoferrin
  provides some protection against some cancers

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Lactoferrin (continued)

• Anti-bacterial
• Anti- viral
• Anti-thrombic
• Iron transport
• Immunomodulation
• Toxin binding properties

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Peptides

• Peptides from both caseins and whey proteins are
  bioactive
• End product of digestion of proteins
• Growing recognition that in vitro and in vivo
  results do not always give the same effects
• Multiple functionality

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Peptide Functions Include

• Anti-microbial/Anti-viral/ Toxin binding
• Anti-hypertension
• Anti-inflammatory
• Immunomodulation
• Anti-cancer
• Appetite Control
• Opioid Effects

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Casein Glycomacropeptide

• Cancer Prevention
• Immunomodulation
• Diet Suppression
• Cardiovascular Effects

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In Conclusion

• Almost all components of milk have a
  physiological function beyond nutrition
• Milk components are multifunctional
• Dairy foods possess a natural cluster of
  nutrients that protect health and enhance the
  immune system.
• More human clinical studies are needed to prove
  efficacy in all cases
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