SPLASH! milk science update
September 2012 Issue
This month, we bring you articles on how to measure milk quality, variations in the milk microbiome, the co-evolution of humans and dairy cows, and milk fat and brains.
Enjoy!
The new frontier of milk quality and nutrition
Lights, camera, action!
If you wandered onto a set filled with cameras, mass spectrometers, and
detectors that enable scientists to see fragments otherwise invisible,
you may believe this is an episode of Crime Scene Investigation! In
reality, this is the scene of the new frontier of milk analysis. Read More.
Tales from an often-ignored community
Breast
milk contains bacteria. That much is known. Some studies (although not,
alas, the Human Microbiome Project) have even characterized the
bacterial community found in milk. But how does the composition of such a
community vary among women? And how might it change over the course of
lactation? Read more to find out.
How dairying shaped the human genome
Something amazing happened about 10,000 years ago - humans developed
organized agriculture, profoundly influencing the emergence of
civilizations in many regions of the world. This past year has seen an
explosion of revelations as scientists exploit the power of DNA
sequence information to discover the genetic adaptations of humans to
dairying. Read more about what they found.
When fat is fabulous: Milk and infant neurodevelopment
Fat is
back, baby! After a pretty extensive smear campaign, fats are now
recognized necessities for a healthy, balanced, adult diet. But for
infants, fats have always been an essential constituent in mother's milk
and formula. Fatty acids are critical structural components of the
brain. Read more about how fats in milk affect infant neurodevelopment.
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Editorial Staff of "SPLASH! milk science update"
Dr. Danielle Lemay, Executive Editor
Prof. Daniela Barile, Associate Editor
Prof. Katie Hinde, Associate Editor
Dr. Ross Tellam, Associate Editor
Prof. Johan van Arendonk, Associate Editor
Anna Petherick, Associate Editor
Caitlin Kiley, Copy Editor & Science Writer