Detection of adulteration in market ghee using FT-IR Spectroscopy

Dairy ghee is a prominent synergistic fat product that is comprised of various health benefiting compounds such as milk fat globule membrane, conjugated linoleic acid, and short-chain free fatty acids. It emanates numerous beneficial actions on human heath are anticancer, antidiabetic, anticholesterolemic, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiatherogenic and anitadipogenic properties. In order to increase the quantity for marketing purposes, ghee is adulterated with low quality fats. These adulterated low quality fats have long-chain fatty acids and trans-fats which causes cardiac diseases, obesity and renal dysfunction. Hence, the present study aimed to detect the adulterant in ghee by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy method. It also shows the quantitative increase of adulterated animal body fat with ghee. The peak C=C increases with the raise of alkene concentration. The N-H bend peak, which represents amines, determines the trans-fat adulteration, causes health-related issues. Thus, FT-IR technique proved the ideal tools for detecting and estimating the degree of ghee adulteration. Keywords: FT-IR, Ghee, Adulteration, Commercial brands, Beef fat.

Infant Formula with Added Bovine Milk Fat Globule Membrane and Modified Iron Supports Growth and Normal Iron Status at One Year of Age: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Inclusion of bovine-derived milk fat globule membrane (bMFGM) or bMFGM components in infant formulas (IFs) may support healthy brain development. This double-blind, prospective trial evaluated growth, tolerance, and iron status in infants receiving added bMFGM and modified protein, iron, and arachidonic acid (ARA) concentrations in IF. Healthy term infants were randomized to: control (marketed, routine cow’s milk-based IF/100 kcal: 2.1 g protein, 1.8 mg iron, 34 mg ARA) or INV-MFGM (investigational cow’s milk-based IF/100 kcal: 1.9 g protein, 1.2 mg iron, 25 mg ARA and whey protein-lipid concentrate, 5 g/L (source of bMFGM)). Anthropometrics, stool characteristics, fussiness, and gassiness through day 365 and blood markers of iron status at day 365 were evaluated. The primary outcome was rate of weight gain from 14–120 days of age. Of 373 infants enrolled (control: 191, INV-MFGM: 182), 275 completed the study (control: 141; INV-MFGM: 134). No group differences in growth rate (g/day) from day 14–120 or study discontinuation were detected. Few group differences in growth or parent-reported fussiness, gassiness, or stool characteristics were detected. No group differences were detected in hemoglobin, hematocrit, or incidence of anemia. In healthy term infants, bMFGM and modified protein, iron, and ARA concentrations in a cow’s milk-based IF were well-tolerated, associated with adequate growth throughout the first year of life, and supported normal iron status at one year of age.

The Impact of Homogenization on Donor Human Milk and Human Milk-Based Fortifiers and Implications for Preterm Infant Health

An exclusive human milk diet (EHMD) has been shown to reduce health complications of prematurity in infants born weighing ≤1250 grams compared to cow milk-based diets. Accordingly, the number of available human milk (HM)-based nutritional products continues to increase. Newly available products, and those reportedly soon to enter the market include homogenized donor human milk (DHM) and homogenized HM–based fortifiers. Existing literature demonstrating the benefits of an EHMD, however, is limited to non-homogenized HM-based products. Herein, we summarize existing evidence on the impact of homogenization on HM, with a particular focus on changes to the macromolecular structure of the milk fat globule and its subsequent impact on digestion kinetics. We use these published data to create a conceptual framework for the potential implications of homogenized HM-based nutritional products on preterm infant health. Importantly, we underscore that the safety and efficacy of homogenized HM-based products warrant investigation.

Human milk-based fortifier is associated with less alteration of milk fat globule size than cow milk-based fortifier

We aimed to evaluate if human milk-based fortifier (HMBF) affects human milk fat globule (MFG) size less than cow milk-based fortifier (CMBF), which may impact overall infant feeding tolerance. Measurements of donated human milk were performed before fortification as well as at 1 hour, 24 hours, and 48 hours after fortification with CMBF or HMBF. MFG size in each sample of fortified milk was measured by laser light scattering. MFG size in the fortified milks increased gradually over time. At 24 and 48 hours after fortification, MFG size in the milk with CMBF was larger than that in the milk with HMBF (4.8 ± 0.5 vs 4.3 ± 0.3 μm, p<0.01, 5.1 ± 0.7 vs 4.5 ± 0.4 μm, p = 0.03, respectively). HMBF is associated with less alteration of MFG size than CMBF. This may have an impact on feeding tolerance of very preterm infants.

Peptidomic Changes in The Milk of Water Buffaloes (Bubalus Bubalis) With Intramammary Infection By Non-Aureus Staphylococci

Mastitis by non-aureus staphylococci (NAS) is a significant issue in dairy buffalo farming. In a herd with subclinical NAS mastitis, we identified Staphylococcus microti as the predominant species. To assess milk protein integrity and investigate potential disease markers, we characterized 12 NAS-positive and 12 healthy quarter milk samples by shotgun peptidomics combining peptide enrichment and high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). We observed significant changes in the milk peptidome. Out of 789 total peptides identified in each group, 49 and 44 were unique or increased in NAS-positive and healthy milk, respectively. In NAS-positive milk, the differential peptides belonged mainly to caseins, followed by milk fat globule membrane proteins (MFGMP) and by the immune defense/antimicrobial proteins osteopontin, lactoperoxidase, and serum amyloid A. In healthy milk, these belonged mainly to MFGMP, followed by caseins. In terms of abundance, peptides from MFGMP and immune defense protein were higher in NAS-positive milk, while peptides from caseins were higher in healthy milk. These findings highlight the impact of NAS on buffalo milk quality and mammary gland health, even when clinical signs are not evident, and underscore the need for clarifying the epidemiology and relevance of the different NAS species in this dairy ruminant.