Milk Concentrations Research Articles

Cow Milk Fatty Acid and Protein Composition in Different Breeds and Regions in China.

Cow milk is rich in proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and minerals; however, its precise nutrient content varies based on various factors. In the current study, we evaluated the differences in the fatty acid and protein contents of milk and the factors associated with these differences. To achieve this, samples were collected from seven types of cows in different regions. These included samples from three dairy breeds: Chinese Holstein milk from Beijing, China (BH), Chinese Holstein milk (HH) and Jersey milk (JS) from Hebei province, China; and four dairy/meat breeds: Sanhe milk (SH) from Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, Xinjiang brown milk (XH) and Simmental milk (SI) from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China, and Shu Xuanhua milk (SX) from Sichuan province, China. Breed significantly affects total fat, fatty acid, and protein contents. Additionally, geographic region significantly affects the contents of different fatty acids, α-lactalbumin, and lactoferrin. JS has the highest total fat and casein contents. XH samples contain significantly higher unsaturated fatty acid content than BH samples and do not differ significantly from JS. Additionally, the low β-lactoglobulin and high lactoferrin contents in XH samples may be favorable for the growth and development of infants. Our results may inform the development of dairy products from different cow breeds and advance the process of accurate breed identification.

Effect of Herbal Liver-tonic Supplements on Production Performance in HF Dairy Cattle

A study was conducted to observe the influence of herbal liver-tonic supplementation on milk production, liver function and feed intake in HF crossbred dairy cattle at field level. This study was carried out in 24 HF cattle and these were randomly grouped into three groups viz. Group 1 served as control group, Group II served as Treatment -I (supplemented with polyherbal liver tonic @ 30ml/day) and Group III as Treatment-2 (supplemented with polyherbal liver tonic @ 45ml/day). Day 1 to 7 is considered as before treatment, Day 8 to 17 as treatment period and day 18 to 32 as after treatment. The blood collected during study period and stored at -20 °C until further analysis. The data were also regularly recorded for milk production, SNF Content of milk, feed intake. Statistical analysis of result revealed that herbal liver-tonic supplementation showed non-significant (P>0.05) difference on liver enzymes profile. Statistically no significant difference is also noted on milk production, milk fat and SNF Content in HF Cattle at field conditions.

The Pharmacokinetics of Subcutaneous Eprinomectin in Plasma and Milk in Dry Dairy Cattle.

Parasitic infections in dairy cattle reduce herd immunity, milk production, and conception rates. This leads to higher production costs, compromised animal welfare, and increased interest in extralabel drug use. The extralabel use of anthelmintics poses food safety risks for consumers since appropriate withdrawal intervals in milk have yet to be established. Although topical eprinomectin has no milk withdrawal time, more research is needed to determine the residues present in milk after subcutaneous administration. This study aimed to characterize the pharmacokinetics of injectable eprinomectin in dry dairy cows. We hypothesized that, when given at the labeled dose, eprinomectin residues in dry dairy cattle would be below the FDA milk tolerance at the onset of lactation. Plasma was collected daily from 13 mature dairy cattle for 7 days postadministration, followed by periodic samples for 90 days. After calving, milk was collected daily until 90 days. Eprinomectin concentrations were measured using HPLC-fluorescence detection. The maximum eprinomectin concentration in plasma and milk was approximately 36 ng/mL 43 h after administration and 3 ng/mL at the onset of lactation, respectively. The low eprinomectin levels in milk collected from these lactating dairy cattle suggest that administering eprinomectin at dry-off is unlikely to result in violative residues. However, subcutaneous eprinomectin in lactating dairy cattle would be hard to justify unless there is evidence that the approved topical formulation is clinically ineffective.

Folic acid, cobalamin, and biotin concentrations in milk samples of sheep, goats, and cows

Milk is an important food obtained from mammals, containing almost all of the nutrients needed for metabolism. The vitamin composition of milk, the first food of mammals, is valuable data for the food industry and public health. This study aimed to determine the levels of folic acid (vitamin B9), cobalamin (vitamin B12), and biotin (vitamin B7) in different milk samples (cow, sheep, goat) using the ELISA method. For this purpose, milk samples from Holstein Cows (n:50), Awassi Sheep (n:50), and Kilis Goats (n:50) available for retail in the Şanlıurfa province of Turkey were collected and analyzed. In this study, the average folic acid content of sheep, goat, and cow milk was found to be 3.45 µg/100 mL, 7.23 µg/100 ml, and 6.64 µg/100 mL, respectively. The average cobalamin content of sheep, goat, and cow milk was 0.70 µg/100 ml, 7.43 µg/100 ml, and 0.58 µg/100 mL, respectively, while the average biotin content of sheep, goat, and cow milk was 2.21 µg/100 mL, 2.21 µg/100 mL, and 2.09 µg/100 mL, respectively. It was noted that the average biotin levels in sheep, goat, and cow milk did not differ significantly. However, significant differences were observed in the quantities of folic acid and cobalamin (P<0.05). Different levels of folic acid were found in milk samples from these three species. Cobalamin levels in goat milk samples were significantly higher, while biotin levels were similar in each milk sample of the species. This study underscores the importance of understanding and considering the diverse vitamin compositions of milk from different mammalian species to ensure comprehensive nutritional intake.

Comparison of methods for measurement of somatic cell count in goat milk

The aim of the study was to compare the efficiency of determining the number of somatic cell count in goat milk by different methods. Somatic cells in individual samples of milk from 28 goats were studied using analyzers "Somatos", "SomaCount Flow Cytometer" and by the counting method in milk films stained according to Romanovsky – Giemsa, May-Grünwald and with pyronin Y. For the counting of somatic cells in goat milk by Prescott and Breed method, it is recommended to stain milk films by the May-Grünwald method, because the cytoplasm and nuclei of somatic cells are clearly stained, and the cost of dyes is much less than the pyroninY method. When counting cells in milk films stained by any method, no samples with the SCC up to 100 ´ 103 cells/ml were found. Direct counting of somatic cells in milk films stained by any method reveals a greater number of cells than with the help of devices. It was found that the fat content in goat milk with SCC >3000 ´ 103 cells/ml is significantly higher (P < 0.05) compared to milk with SCC < 1000 ´ 103 cells/ml. The quality of goat's milk smears for counting of somatic cells quantity stained by the May-Grünwald method corresponds to the recommended method with pyronin Y, and the cost of dyes is 28.4 times lower. The distribution of somatic cell ranges is similar between different methods of staining smears, which once again proves the accuracy of the method of direct cell counting in milk films, although it is more labor-intensive than hardware methods.

Influence of the Blends of Sheep's and Goat's Milk on the Functional Properties and Volatile Compounds of Lighvan Cheese During Ripening: A Comparative Study

ABSTRACTIn this study, the influence of different ratios of sheep's to goat's milk (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100) on the content of functional metabolites and volatiles in Lighvan cheese throughout ripening was investigated. The samples were ripened under brine for 90 days and assessed in terms of variations in chemical composition, proteolysis, angiotensin‐converting enzyme, α‐amylase, and α‐glucosidase inhibitory activities, antioxidant power, total free amino acids, gamma amino butyric acid, free fatty acids, and volatile compounds. Results showed that by increasing the proportion of goat's milk, the samples exhibited higher antioxidant effect and inhibition of the angiotensin‐converting enzyme during ripening. After 90 days, an increase in α‐glucosidase and a slight decrease in α‐amylase inhibitory activities were observed in Lighvan cheese samples that were produced with 50%, 75% and 100% of goat's milk. In contrast, higher contents of sheep's milk led to a significant increase in the concentration of esters, terpenes and alcohols and a slight increase in gamma‐aminobutyric acid. The highest concentration of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids was observed in the cheese prepared with 100% raw sheep's milk after 90 days of ripening. The results revealed the possibility of making a functional white‐brined cheese by monitoring the type and ratio of the used milk and ripening time.

Changes in milk productivity and quality of goat milk when including cake and probiotic in the diet

Relevance. One of the solutions to reduce food waste is to try to get the most out of food waste and byproducts. The experiment assessed the milk productivity and milk quality of lactating Nigerian goat goats when using hemp cake on the background of a probiotic substance.Methodology. The research was carried out in 2 stages: in the 1st experiment, the effect on the digestibility of nutritional components of feed was studied as a result of the inclusion of waste from the fat and oil industry in the diet of goats in the amount of 5% hemp (QL) cake, in the 2nd experiment, the enzymatic probiotic drug “Cellobacterin+” (“Biotrof” LLC) was additionally included in the experimental group at a dosage of 10 g/goal /day.Results. According to the research results, it was found that the inclusion of hemp cake in the diet of lactating goat goats did not have a negative effect on milk yield and milk quality, and contributed to a reduction in the cost of its production. The additional introduction of the probiotic drug “Cellobacterin+” into the diet contributed to an increase in milk yield in goats, in the conditions of the Southern Urals, and improved the chemical composition of milk, in particular, increased fat and protein content.

Impact of pasture feeding cows and seasonality on the concentration of selected fat-soluble compounds in milk and their ability to be used as biomarkers of “Grass-Fed” dairy

This study investigated the impact of proportion of pasture in the cow diet on the concentration of selected fat-soluble compounds in milk including β-carotene, lutein, retinol (vitamin A), α-tocopherol (vitamin E) and zeaxanthin. Bulk tank milk samples (n = 102) were collected weekly (n = 34) across an entire lactation from three herds operating either a high (GRS), medium (PMR) or no pasture allowance (TMR) feeding system. Concentrations of β-carotene and lutein increased significantly with increasing pasture allowance, with a > 2 fold increase of β-carotene in milk, between high and no pasture allowance treatments. GRS feeding system resulted in milks with higher concentrations of retinol, α-tocopherol, and zeaxanthin, compared to both PMR and TMR systems. A biomarker model based on the fat-soluble compounds concentration in milk, demonstrated excellent differentiation of high pasture allowance derived milks from that of medium and no pasture milks, with area under the curve scores of 0.955 and 0.971 respectively. Strong correlations were observed between the concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin in milk and the milks corresponding yellow colour, while a significant correlation was exhibited between β-carotene and b*-value. Such correlations with milk colour may have a significant impact on the consumer preference of milk and dairy products produced therefrom.

Detection of urea in milk by urease-inorganic hybrid nanoflowers combined with portable colorimetric microliter tube.

Asimple one-pot green synthesis method was used to prepare urease-inorganic hybrid nanoflowers (UE-HNFs), which had a high surface-to-volume ratio to improve enzyme catalytic efficiency and make urease reusable. A portable colorimetric microliter tube based on urease-inorganic hybrid nanoflowers (UE-HNFs-PCMT), as an urea colorimetric biosensor, was developed for determining urea concentration in milk. The combination of urea colorimetric biosensor and asmartphone is usedfor capturingthe colour change of milk after reaction. There was a good linear relationship between colour intensity of the image (Δ intensity) and urea concentration (43-600mg L-1), with a detection limit of 12.81mg L-1. UE-HNFs-PCMT has the advantages of no need for complex equipment, easy operation, reusability, low detection cost, good portability, and environmental friendliness and can achieve urea detection in milk.

Characterization and monitoring of changes during lactation in the profile of multiple bioactive compounds of milk from grazing mares.

Mare milk has often been considered a food product with potential functional properties. However, the bioactive compound composition of mare milk, including vitamins and other minor bioactive compounds, as well as factors affecting this composition have scarcely been studied. Therefore, the present study aimed to characterize the changes during lactation in the content of water- and fat-soluble vitamins and total polyphenols, and the total antioxidant capacity of mare milk from semi-extensive farms. A total of 310 individual milk samples from 18 mares belonging to three commercial farms and 12 lactation times were analyzed. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C), thiamine (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), nicotinic acid and niacinamide (vitamins B3), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxal and pyridoxine (vitamins B6), folic acid (vitamin B9), cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12), tocopherols and tocotrienols (vitamin E) and retinol and retinyl esters (vitamin A) were quantified using liquid chromatography. Total polyphenols and antioxidant capacity assays were analyzed using spectrophotometry. The concentration of most bioactive compounds tended to decline as lactation progressed, with the exception of polyphenols and the total antioxidant capacity that oscillated during lactation. On the other hand, the effect of the different semi-extensive management of the farms was only significant for vitamin B3 content. To the best of our knowledge, the present study provides the most in-depth description of the vitamin profile of mare milk as well as new insights into polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity of mare milk. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Effects of pre- and postpartum dietary fat sources (soybean oil versus linseed oil) on lactation performance and blood metabolites in transition dairy cows

This study investigated the effects of supplementation with two calcium salt fatty acid sources (soybean oil (CaSO) and linseed oil (CaLN)) before and after parturition on lactation performance and blood metabolite profiles in dairy cows. A study was conducted with twenty-four multiparous Holstein cows (parity = 3.12 ± 0.9 and Backfat thickness = 21.77 ± 1.98) that were divided into a 2 × 2 factorial design 21 days before expected calving. The aim was to investigate the interplay between prepartum (CaSO or CaLN, at 2 % of dry matter) and postpartum (at 1.4 % of dry matter) fat supplementation on lactation performance and blood metabolite profiles. Initially, cows were grouped according to the source of prepartum fat (either CaSO or CaLN, with 12 cows in each group). Postpartum, these groups were further subdivided according to whether the fat source was administered continuously (LN-LN, SO-SO) or alternately (LN-SO, SO-LN) over a 28-day period. This resulted in four different treatment groups, each with six cows. The fat supplements contained 84 % fat and 9 % Ca. No statistically significant differences were found in dry matter intake (DMI), colostrum yield or most concentrations of blood metabolites (insulin, cholesterol, glucose, triglycerides, total protein, albumin, β-hydroxybutyric acid (BHB), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and urea-N). However, cows fed CaSO prepartum had a significantly higher plasma concentration of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) than cows fed CaLN. Cows fed CaSO had higher backfat thickness (BFT) from day −21–0 than those fed CaLN (P = 0.05). Notably, cows in the SO-SO group lost the most weight, while cows in the SO-LN group lost the least, especially on days 21 and 28 postpartum (P = 0.05). Switching from soybean oil prepartum to linseed oil postpartum (SO-LN) significantly increased milk production in the first 28 days of lactation compared to other diets. In addition, the fat content in milk was influenced by the type of fat supplementation prepartum, with cows receiving CaSO having a lower milk fat percentage than those receiving CaLN (P < 0.05). The results on blood parameters suggest potential benefits of the SO-LN diet for postpartum cows, as emphasized by stable BHB concentrations and the highest IGF-1 concentrations, especially without the elevated BHB concentrations typically associated with the SO-SO diet. The blood concentrations of total protein, urea-N, triglycerides and NEFA were not affected by the treatments. Also, the dietary change did not adversely affect liver function, as shown by unchanged AST and ALT concentrations. Therefore, the results suggest that a dietary intervention involving the administration of soybean oil prepartum and switching to linseed oil postpartum (SO-LN strategy) has the potential to improve milk yield during the early lactation period.

Investigating the Transfer of Lisinopril into Human Milk: A Quantitative Analysis.

Lisinopril is commonly prescribed to manage conditions such as hypertension and heart failure. While concerns about fetal toxicity have traditionally limited the use of lisinopril in women of reproductive age, recent ACOG guidelines promote aggressive treatment of hypertension, which may require the use of pharmacologic agents not previously considered in the postpartum period. We aimed to estimate infant exposure to maternal lisinopril via breastmilk and report the tolerance of the breastfed infant. Five volunteers taking lisinopril provided samples of their human milk and their associated health information for research through the InfantRisk Center Human Milk Biorepository. The milk pharmacokinetics of lisinopril were measured using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The mean milk concentration of lisinopril was 0.49 ng/mL per 10 mg daily dose. The Relative Infant Dose (RID) was 0.06% for lisinopril, more than 100 times lower than the standard 10% safety threshold. The minimal transfer of lisinopril into human milk in this study suggests the drug is unlikely to pose a clinically significant risk to healthy breastfed infants.

Association of healthy eating index (HEI), alternative healthy eating index (AHEI) with antioxidant capacity of maternal breast milk and infant’s urine: a cross-sectional study

Maternal dietary quality may alter the nutrient content of breast milk. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between the healthy eating index (HEI) and alternative healthy eating index (AHEI) of a breastfeeding mother’s diet with the antioxidant profile of her breast milk and her infant’s urine. This study included 300 healthy mother-infant pairs. The participants’ dietary intake was estimated using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The diet quality of participants was assessed using the HEI and AHEI. The total antioxidant content of the breast milk and infant’s urine was evaluated using ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), 2, 2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs), and Thiol quantification assays. After adjusting for confounding factors, the odds of a low malondialdehyde (MDA) content of breast milk were significantly higher in the highest quartile of HEI than in the lowest quartile. The odds of low DPPH and FRAP in infant urine decreased in the highest quartile of HEI compared to the lowest quartile. No significant relationship was found between AHEI and antioxidant levels of breast milk and the infant’s urine. Our findings demonstrate that a high quality diet of breastfeeding mothers, identified by a higher HEI, can affect the oxidant-antioxidant balance of a mother’s breast milk and her infant’s urine.

Prepartum supplementation of dairy cows with inorganic selenium, organic selenium or rumen-protected choline does not affect carotenoid composition or colour characteristics of bovine colostrum or transition milk.

Minerals are supplemented routinely to dairy cows during the dry period to prevent metabolic issues postpartum. However, limited information exists on the impacts of mineral supplementation on colostrum carotenoids. This study aimed to determine the effects of prepartum supplementation with three micro-nutrients; inorganic selenium (INORG), organic selenium (ORG) or rumen-protected choline (RPC) on the carotenoid content of bovine colostrum and transition milk (TM) from pasture-based dairy cows. A total of 57 (12 primiparous and 45 multiparous) Holstein-Friesian (HF) and HF × Jersey (JEX) cows were supplemented daily for 49 ± 12.9 d before calving. Colostrum samples were collected from all cows immediately postpartum and TM one to five (TM1-TM5) were collected from a sub-set of 15 cows (five per treatment group) at each consecutive milking postpartum. Carotenoid concentration was determined using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography - diode array detection (UHPLC-DAD). With the use of transmittance, the colour index and colour parameters a*, b* and L* were used to determine colour variations over this period. Prepartum supplementation did not have a significant effect on colostrum β-carotene concentration or colour. Positive correlations between β-carotene and colour parameter b* (R2 = 0.671; P < 0.001) and β-carotene and colour index (R2 = 0.560; P < 0.001) were observed. Concentrations of β-carotene were highest in colostrum (1.34 μg/g) and decreased significantly with each milking postpartum (TM5 0.31 μg/g). Breed had a significant effect on colostrum colour with JEX animals producing a greater b* colostrum than HF animals (P = 0.030). Primiparous animals produced colostrum with the weakest colour compared to second or ≥third parity animals (P = 0.042). Despite statistical increases in the b* parameter in colostrum from JEX cows and multiparous cows, β-carotene concentrations did not significantly increase suggesting that other factors may influence colostrum colour. The b* parameter may be used as an indicator for estimating carotenoid concentrations in colostrum and TM, particularly when assessed via transmittance spectroscopy.

Impact of diferent types of selection on the milk productivity of Kostroma breed cows

The article studies the influence of homogeneous and heterogeneous selection on the milk productivity of first-calf cows (milk yield, fat and protein content in milk). The object of research is cattle of the Kostroma breed. The research methods were zootechnical, population-genetic and analytical using computer programs IAS “SELEX” Multifarm and BON-MilkRegion. The modern cattle breeding base in the Kostroma region is represented by three breeding plants and two breeding reproducers. In 2022, the Karavaevo Breeding Farm JSC received 9,297 kg of milk per cow, the Minskoe LLC pedigree reproducer received 7,371 kg of milk, and the Rodina collective farm, Gridino and Agrofirma Planet LLC received more 6000 kg of milk. Record milk yields reach 15,000 kg of milk or more in 305 days of lactation. The following lines have been identified as promising in the Kostroma breed: lines Ladka 2537 and Kursa 3722, related groups Master 106902, Meridian 90927 and Concentrate 106157. To improve the productive qualities of dairy cattle, it is necessary to use both intraline selection and cross-lines, taking into account their compatibility. In breeding farms, using homogeneous selection, high productivity indicators were obtained: in terms of milk yield - from first-calf heifers of the related groups Laird, Concentrate and Meridian, in terms of fat and protein content in milk - Laird and Ladka. With heterogeneous selection, the best combinations were identified across farms.

Dielectric spectroscopy technology combined with machine learning methods for nondestructive detection of protein content in fresh milk.

To quickly achieve nondestructive detection of protein content in fresh milk, this study utilized a network analyzer and an open coaxial probe to analyze the dielectric spectra of milk samples at 100 frequency points within the 2-20GHz range, focusing on the dielectric constant ε' and the dielectric loss factor ε''. Feature variables were extracted from the full dielectric spectra using the successive projections algorithm (SPA), uninformative variables elimination (UVE), and the combined UVE-SPA method. These variables were then used to develop partial least squares regression (PLSR), support vector machine (SVM), decision tree (DT), random forest (RF), and least squares boosting (LSBOOST) models for predicting protein content. The results showed that ε' decreased monotonically with increasing frequency, while ε'' increased monotonically. The UVE-SPA method for feature extraction demonstrated superior performance, with the UVE-SPA-PLSR model being the best for predicting milk protein content, achieving the highest RC 2=0.998 and RP 2=0.989 and the lowest RMSEC=0.019% and RMSEP=0.032%. This study provides a theoretical reference for evaluating milk quality and developing intelligent detection equipment for natural milk.

Effects of organic and inorganic selenium mixes in pregnant sows on piglet growth, selenium levels in serum and milk, and selenium deposition in newborn piglet tissues.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of organic and inorganic selenium mixes in pregnant sows on piglet growth, selenium levels in serum and milk, and selenium deposition in newborn piglet tissues. A total of 44 multiparous sows (Yorkshire×Landrace) with average body weight (BW), backfat thickness, and parity were assigned to one of the three treatments with 14 or 15 sows per treatment in a completely randomized design. The treatments were as follows: i) Control, corn-soybean meal-based diet with no addition of selenium premix; ii) ISOS(mixed inorganic selenium and organic selenium) 30, a basal diet supplemented with 0.15 ppm of inorganic Se and 0.15 ppm of organic Se; iii) ISOS50, a basal diet supplemented with 0.25 ppm of inorganic Se and 0.25 ppm of organic Se. At day 21 of lactation, supplementing a high level of mixed Se at 0.50 ppm resulted in higher piglet BW and weight gain than adding a low level of mixed Se at 0.30 ppm (p<0.05). Selenium concentration of colostrum in sows fed ISOS50 diet was significantly higher than those in sows fed ISOS30 diet (p<0.05). Selenium concentrations in the serum at days 90 and 110 of gestation and 24 hours postpartum were highest when sows were fed ISOS50 diet (p<0.05). Additionally, increasing levels of mixed Se led to an increase in piglet serum Se concentration at 24 hours postpartum (p<0.05). Before ingesting colostrum, piglets from sows fed a mixed selenium (Se) diet had significantly higher kidney Se concentrations compared to those from the control group, with the ISOS50 treatment showing the most significant difference (p<0.05). Supplementation of the gestation diet with 0.5 ppm of mixed Se may improve piglet growth performance, increase Se concentrations in milk, and enhance Se status in the serum of sows, as well as in the serum and tissues of their offspring.

Flavonoids in breast milk and their absorption, metabolism, and bioactivity in infants.

Flavonoids are present in plant foods such as vegetables and fruits and exhibit various physiological effects, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Ingested flavonoids are absorbed from the intestinal tract and circulated in the blood. Some studies have indicated the presence of flavonoids in breast milk. However, information on their metabolites and concentrations in breast milk and the subsequent transfer to and physiological functions in infants is limited. Therefore, this review presents a compilation of recent findings on the transfer of flavonoids to infants via breast milk and their bioactivities.

Composition and Antioxidant Status of Human Milk of Women Living in Bydgoszcz (Poland).

The aim of this study was to compare cortisol concentrations, nutritional composition, and the antioxidant status of human milk of women living in Bydgoszcz (Poland), taking into account maternal factors (fertility, area of residence, economic activity, and breastfeeding period). The basic composition of human milk was evaluated using the MIRIS HMATM analyzer. The level of cortisol was determined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent method. In order to determine the antioxidant activity, the DPPH radical method was used. It was observed that the concentration of cortisol in human milk in the group of women living in the city center was higher compared to the milk of women living on the outskirts of the city. In the group of women breastfeeding from 3 to 5 weeks after childbirth, the concentration of cortisol in milk was higher compared to the group of women breastfeeding less than 12 months of age and compared to the group of women lactating over 12 months of age. The antioxidant status of human milk was highest in the group of professionally active women and in the group of breastfeeding women from 3 to 5 weeks after childbirth. The basic composition and the caloric value of human milk differed statistically significantly in the study groups. Based on this study, it can be concluded that the composition and antioxidant status of human milk depends on maternal factors (fertility, professional activity, area of residence, and breastfeeding period). Higher cortisol concentrations in breast milk are probably determined by the area of residence (city center and associated higher noise/sound and stress levels) and lactation period (hormonal imbalance, fatigue, and postpartum period). Milk from economically active women shows greater protection against reactive oxygen species compared to milk from inactive women, protecting against the occurrence of diseases of civilization. Milk from breastfeeding women over 12 months of age also shows protection against reactive oxygen species, despite the fact that the highest level of antioxidant status of human milk occurs in the initial period of lactation.

Dietary supplementation with pterostilbene activates the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signalling pathway to alleviate progressive oxidative stress and promote placental nutrient transport

BackgroundProgressive oxidative stress easily occurs as a result of a gradual increase in the intensity of maternal metabolism due to rapid foetal development and increased intensity of lactation. However, studies on the effects of processive oxidative stress on nutrient transport in the placenta have received little attention. The present study was conducted on sows at 85 days of gestation to study the effects of pterostilbene (PTE) on maternal oxidative stress status and placental nutrient transport.ResultsPTE increased the antioxidant capacity and immunoglobulin content in mothers’ blood and milk, reduced the level of inflammatory factors, and improved the nutrient content of milk. PTE also reduced sow backfat loss and the number of weak sons, and increased piglet weaning weight and total weaning litter weight. We subsequently found that PTE enhanced placental glucose and fatty acid transport and further affected glycolipid metabolism by increasing the expression of LAL, PYGM, and Gbe-1, which activated the PI3K phosphorylation pathway. Moreover, PTE addition altered the relative abundance of the Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Parabacillus, and Bacteroidetes-like RF16 groups in sow faeces. PTE increased the levels of acetate, propionate, butyrate and isovalerate in the faeces.ConclusionsThese findings reveal that the addition of PTE during pregnancy and lactation mitigates the effects of processive oxidative stress on offspring development by altering maternal microbial and placental nutrient transport capacity.Graphical