Dairy Research Bulletin: Selected Articles from February 2025

Environmental Management and Sustainability

Methane emission reduction by adding sulfate to liquid dairy manure. Matos Pereira Lima F, Laniel M, Balde H, Gordon R, VanderZaag A. J Environ Qual. 2025 Feb 17.

Dairy farmers are interested in reducing the carbon footprint of milk. Reducing methane (CH₄) emissions is a key part of this goal, and manure is a significant CH₄ Technologies like anaerobic digesters for biogas production are effective; however, adoption rates are slowed by upfront costs and infrastructure needs.
Achieving near-term emission reductions needs low-cost alternatives that can be quickly and widely adopted. Previous studies have shown that “acidification” of manure by adding sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) suppressed CH₄emissions; however, widespread adoption may be hindered by the challenge of handling acid on farms.
This laboratory study was performed for 157 days at 24°C, and compared the efficacy of a sulfate-based non-acidic fertilizer (CaSO₄), and two rates of acidification, one at pH > 7 and one at pH < 7, for a sulfate-based acid (H₂SO₄) and a sulfate-free acid (H₃PO₄). Methane suppression by CaSO₄at multiple rates was also analyzed.
Two mechanisms of suppression were observed: acidification had a demonstrable early effect, lowering cumulative CH₄emission within 40 days by up to 65% for H₂SO₄ and 54% for H₃PO₄, while sulfate-containing compounds showed increasing suppression after 50 days. Final cumulative CH₄ suppression was up to 63% for CaSO₄ and 91% for H₂SO₄, while H₃PO₄ was least effective.
These results suggest H₂SO₄is highly effective due to the combination of acidity and sulfate. Adding sulfate alone (CaSO₄) was more effective than adding acid alone (H₃PO₄). Hence, sulfate-based additives-like gypsum-may hold promise as an alternative near-term solution for dairy farms to make large CH₄

Enhancing aerobic composting of cow dung and wheat straw with nanobubble water: Improved lignocellulose degradation and nutrient enrichment for increased crop biomass. Zhang Y, Wang T, Chen J, et al. Waste Manag. 2025 Feb 26;198:1-11.

Cow dung and wheat straw are rich in lignocellulose, which has a complex structure, making it difficult to biodegrade.
This study investigated the promotion of composting effectiveness and product fertility by adding nanobubble water (Air, CO₂, He, and N₂) during aerobic composting of cow dung and wheat straw.
Nanobubble water prolonged the high-temperature period by 1-2 days, increased the activity of soil urease and soil ligninase, reduced the lignocellulose content by 1.4 %-6.1 %, and increased the total potassium/total phosphorus ratio of the final compost products by 1.8 %-3.5 %/31.6 %-43.0 %. Nanobubble water of N₂significantly increased the total nitrogen of final compost products by 8.3 %.
The lignocellulose content was significantly positively correlated with the moisture content, but significantly negatively correlated with the relative abundances of Georgenia and Marinimicrobium.
The final compost products of the nanobubble water groups significantly increased the total biomass of cabbage by 37.1 %-195.3 %.
The results showed that adding nanobubble water to aerobic compost of cow dung and wheat straw improved the biodegradation of lignocellulose and enriched the nutrient elements (total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and total potassium) of the final compost products.
Among the four types of nanobubble water, N₂-containing nanobubble water is the most promising.

Effect of 10 freshwater microalgae on in vitro methane mitigation and rumen fermentation. Li Y, Bagnoud-Velásquez M, Zhang Y, Niu M, et al. J Dairy Sci. 2025 Feb 20:S0022-0302(25)00093-1.

Agriculture is at the pivot point between anthroposphere, biosphere, and atmosphere. Innovative solutions are needed to reduce agricultural emissions and improve sustainability. Microalgae animal feed could be such a solution.
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of 10 freshwater microalgae: Auxenochlorella protothecoides, Chlamydomonas pulvinate, Chlorella luteoviridis, Chlorella variabilis, Euglena mutabilis, Parachlorella kessleri, Stichococcus bacillaris, Tetradesmus acuminatus, Tetradesmus obliquus, and Tetraselmis gracilis, on ruminal methane (CH₄) production, nutrient digestibility, and rumen fermentation using the in vitro Hohenheim gas test.
The microalgae were cultured in a carbon dioxide (CO₂) incubator at 2% CO₂, at the optimal conditions for each strain.
The highest producers were P. kessleri and T. obliquus, with a biomass concentration of 0.69 and 0.73 g/L·d, respectively. Their PUFA contents ranged from 33.2 to 69.1 of total fatty acids.
Microalgae were tested at a 15% replacement in a control basal diet of 40.0% DM grass silage, 40.0% maize silage, 15% hay, and 5% concentrate. Data were analyzed using a mixed model in R.
Ruminal CH₄production was reduced by 15.4%, 17.4%, and 16.4% in diets containing A. protothecoides, C. luteoviridis, and P. kessleri, respectively, compared with the control diet. Similarly, these diets reduced in vitro organic matter digestibility by 3.5%, 5.2%, and 5.4%, respectively. However, only A. protothecoides reduced CH₄/CO₂ ratio by 3.5% compared with the control diet.
Propionate molar proportion was decreased by 2.4, 3.0, 2.5, and 2.5%pt for diets containing C. pulvinate, E. mutabilis, P. kessleri, and T. obliquus, respectively. Marginal effects of dietary variables were analyzed using the generalized additive model framework, revealing a negative relationship between dietary PUFA, sulfur content, and CH₄production, and a negative relationship between dietary PUFA and CH₄/CO₂
Incorporating high-PUFA microalgae in ruminant diets shows potential for reducing enteric CH₄emissions, warranting further investigation.

Dairy Wastewaters to Promote Mixotrophic Metabolism in Limnospira (Spirulina) platensis: Effect on Biomass Composition, Phycocyanin Content, and Fatty Acid Methyl Ester Profile. Baraldi L, Usai L, Lutzu GA, et al. Life (Basel). 2025;15(2):184.

For over ten years, large-scale cultivation of various microalgae and Cyanobacteria strains has been actively pursued, yielding a protein-rich biomass known for its valuable bioactive and functional compounds.
Microalgae are a valuable and abundant source of numerous biologically active compounds, such as proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins, pigments, enzymes, fatty acids (FAs), polyphenols, peptides, bioplastics, biofertilizers, and biofuels. These diverse substances hold significant potential for use in a wide range of industries.
This study explores the mixotrophic cultivation of Limnospira platensisusing dairy byproducts, specifically scotta whey (SW), buttermilk wastewater (BMW), and dairy wastewater (DWW), to promote biomass production and enhance the composition of bioactive compounds.
By assessing various concentrations (1%, 2%, and 4% v v^-1) of these byproducts in a modified growth medium, this study aims to evaluate their effect on platensisgrowth, phycocyanin (C-PC) content, and fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles.
The results show that the optimal biomass production was achieved with 2% scotta and dairy wastewater, reaching maximum concentrations of 3.30 g L^-1and 3.19 g L^-1, respectively. Mixotrophic cultivation led to increased C-PC yields, especially in buttermilk and dairy wastewater treatments, highlighting the potential for producing valuable pigments.
These findings support the viability of utilizing dairy byproducts for sustainable platensiscultivation, contributing to a circular bioeconomy while producing bioactive compounds of nutritional and commercial interest.

Emergency mass disposal of milk: Options and considerations. Mahdaviarab A, Pahlavanyali K, Liu Z, et al. J Environ Manage. 2025;376:124420.

The disposal of excess milk can pose significant challenges for dairy farms during supply chain disruptions, extreme weather events, or plant closures. Improper disposal methods risk causing environmental damage, public health issues, and regulatory violations.
This study evaluates three on-farm milk disposal methods, lagoon discharge, composting, and land application, to guide the effective management of large-scale milk disposal events.
Laboratory experiments assessed the impact of milk disposal on lagoon water quality, highlighting that lagoon discharge was feasible for large-scale operations but increased total solids and chemical oxygen demand (COD), potentially overloading the system’s treatment capacity.
Similarly, experiments on composting showed that adding milk enhanced compost quality but required careful monitoring to prevent moisture imbalance and odors.
For land application, experiments demonstrated improvements in soil health and plant growth but also revealed risks of nutrient imbalance and gas emissions, particularly at higher application rates.
Dividing milk into smaller, multiple applications consistently reduced adverse impacts across all methods. Each method’s suitability depends on farm size, infrastructure, and disposal volume.
Lagoon discharge is better suited for large farms with sufficient capacity to manage treatment risks. Composting works well for smaller volumes, while land application benefits soil health when carefully managed.
The findings have practical applications in helping dairy farms select appropriate disposal strategies, minimizing environmental harm, and complying with regulations during large-scale milk disposal events.
Additionally, this study serves as a foundation for creating more comprehensive guidelines and strategies to address milk disposal challenges, fostering sustainable practices across diverse agricultural settings.

UC Davis Research – Bioconversion of dairy co-products to polyhydroxyalkanoates by halophilic microbes with salts and nutrients recycling. Wang K, M Hobby A, Chio A, E El Mashad H, Zhang R. Bioresour Technol. 2025 Feb 19;424:132228.

Cheese making processes only incorporate half of the milk solids into the main products; the residual nutrients are present in whey which accounts for 90% of the milk volume. Lactose accounts for approximately 75% of the solids in whey which is produced as a co-product of cheese production through crystallization of whey permeate, leaving behind the liquid portion named delactosed permeate (DLP).
DLP’s high mineral content poses environmental concerns at disposal. There is a clear need to develop innovative and viable solutions that will aid stakeholders to valorize dairy side streams and promote circular economy in the dairy industry.
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) is a family of aliphatic polyesters with similar physicochemical properties compared to conventional plastics, which can be derived from DLP. DLP can be used to manufacture PHA products that are compostable in the natural environment. Therefore, it is considered as one of the most promising substitutes for petroleum-based plastics.
This study presented the cultivation of Haloferax mediterranei for PHA production from dairy co-products with spent salts recycling, and provided the first insights of dissolved oxygen (DO) in regulating PHA biosynthesis by halophiles.
PHA had yields up to 0.40 g/g substrate from whey sugar and up to 0.17 g/g substrate from DLP. A higher log-phase DO led to faster biosynthesis, but a lower final PHA production (2.0 g/L) compared to lower DO levels (3.0 g/L).
A novel approach was established to recycle up to 90 % salts and nutrients in the system and achieved consistent production and product quality.
This study develops a sustainable biotechnology of converting dairy co-products to biomaterials, improve the economics of PHA and has the potential scalability for industrial applications.

Animal Health and Food Safety

UC Davis Vet Med Research: Antimicrobial drug use and its association with antimicrobial resistance in fecal commensals from cows on California dairies. Abdelfattah EM, Ekong PS, Okello E, Chamchoy T, Karle BM, Black RA, ElAshmawy W, Sheedy D, Williams DR, Lehenbauer TW, Byrne BA, Aly SS. Front Vet Sci. 2025 Feb 10;11:1504640.

In 2018, California (CA) implemented Senate Bill 27 (SB 27), requiring veterinary prescriptions under a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship for all other dosage forms of medically important antimicrobial drugs used for livestock and administered by routes other than in feed or water, which includes injectable, intramammary, and other oral antimicrobial drug dosage forms.
The CA state law has resulted in moving the antimicrobial drugs that were available in livestock supply and feed stores as over-the-counter products to prescription only under a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship.
The current study objective was to investigate the risk factors associated with the isolation of antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli, Enterococcus, and Streptococcusspp. from the feces of dairy cows in California.
A longitudinal study was conducted on ten dairies, and a random sample of cattle (late pregnant heifers and dry cows) stratified by each herd’s parity distribution were followed monthly from close-up to 120 days in milk during fall to winter 2018 (winter season) and spring to summer 2019 (summer season). Gastrointestinal commensals were isolated from fecal samples and tested for antimicrobial susceptibility using the broth microdilution method against a selected panel of antimicrobial drugs.
Eight dairies used blanket antimicrobial drug therapy at dry-off for all lactating cows, while the remaining two dairies did not use any antimicrobial drug treatment at dry-off. Clinical mastitis was identified as the most common indication for antimicrobial drug use across the study dairies.
Intramuscular administration of ceftiofur hydrochloride to treat lameness and unknown disease during lactation was significantly associated with the isolation of tetracycline-resistant fecal coli. Resistance to ceftiofur, tetracycline, or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in fecal E. coliwas significantly higher in the winter than in the summer season.
In contrast, resistance to tetracycline, florfenicol, tilmicosin, tildipirosin, or tiamulin in fecal gram-positive commensals was significantly higher in the summer than in the winter.
In conclusion, antimicrobial drug usage practices and seasonal variations significantly influenced the antimicrobial resistance of coliand Enterococcus spp./Streptococcus spp. in the feces of dairy cattl

Avian Influenza A(H5) Subtype in Wastewater – Oregon, September 15, 2021-July 11, 2024. Falender R, Radniecki TS, Sutton M, et al. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2025 Feb 27;74(6):102-106.

Wastewater surveillance is an important tool in the surveillance of emerging pathogens and has been leveraged during the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus outbreak in cattle and poultry in the United States.
Interpretation of avian influenza A(H5) subtype detections in wastewater requires an understanding of human and animal contributors to the sewershed because current testing does not distinguish between human and animal sources. Potential animal contributors include wild birds, farms with poultry or dairy cattle outbreaks, and dairy processing facilities.
Retrospective analysis of 551 influenza A virus-positive wastewater surveillance samples from 20 sites in Oregon during September 15, 2021-July 11, 2024, revealed 21 avian influenza A(H5) subtype detections across 12 communities.
Avian influenza A(H5) subtype detections in wastewater began approximately 6 weeks before Oregon’s first HPAI outbreak in domestic poultry, 7 weeks before Oregon’s first avian influenza A(H5) detection in wild birds, and 2 years before the first HPAI A(H5N1) outbreak in dairy cattle in the United States (Oregon has not detected HPAI A(H5N1) in dairy cattle or milk).
No association was found between detection of avian influenza A(H5) in a community’s wastewater and history of an HPAI A(H5) outbreak among poultry in the county or presence of dairy processing facilities or dairy farms within the sewershed.
Avian influenza A(H5) was detected most frequently in two communities with important wild bird habitats. Animal inputs, including from wild birds, should be considered when interpreting avian influenza A(H5) subtype detections in wastewater.

Association Between Individual Animal Traits, Competitive Success and Drinking Behavior in Dairy Cows After Milking. Burkhardt FK, Wahlen R, Hayer JJ, Steinhoff-Wagner J. Animals (Basel). 2025 Feb 13;15(4):534.

After milking, dairy cows seek the nearest water trough, but access depends on competitive success.
This study descriptively characterized individual drinking behavior after milking in association with physiological traits and competitive success in a herd of 42 lactating Brown Swiss cows held in a free-range barn.
Cows were milked and fed twice a day, and the drinking behavior was video recorded after leaving the milking parlor during 22 milkings in July 2022. Water consumption and 33 behavioral parameters were recorded. Competitive success was defined by an index calculation.
Milk production traits correlated positively with the number of trough visits, the total duration of drinking, the duration of water intake and drinking breaks, and the water volume consumed.
High-yielding dairy cows exhibited twice as many agonistic interactions as low-yielding ones, suggesting that performance-based grouping increases aggressive interactions. Further, subtle dominance interactions, such as “staring”, comprise a major part of confrontations at the trough.
Cows with low competitive success more frequently pursued other activities before they drank and were more frequently interrupted by agonistic interactions.
Considering body and performance traits in association with individual drinking patterns in evaluating on-farm water management seemed valuable, therefore, a review of current recommendations for water supply is suggested.

Sources of variation underlying the production of lactose by dairy cows. Gargiulo JI, Garcia SC, Hovey RC. J Dairy Sci. 2025 Feb 11:S0022-0302(25)00068-2.

Lactose is the main carbohydrate in cow milk and makes a substantial contribution to its energy content. The biosynthesis of lactose occurs in mammary epithelial cells, which utilize ∼65%–70% of the available glucose present in the bloodstream of cows during peak lactation. This intracellular synthesis of lactose establishes an osmotic gradient, drawing water into the epithelium, thereby increasing milk volume.
This study explored variability in the production of lactose by dairy cows, and the factors underlying it, using herd testing data from New South Wales, Australia.
The dataset spanned 14 years (2008-2022) and comprised 393,772 records from 33,280 cows across 85 herds, alongside meteorological data and dairy sire genetic data. Variables included milk yield, composition, and quality; reproductive data; breed information; and environmental factors.
The researchers found significant variation in lactose yield, lactose percentage, and milk solids yield across breed, parity, and stage of lactation. Holsteins had the highest lactose yield and milk solids yield and the lowest lactose percentage, whereas Jerseys produced more milk solids yield per unit of lactose yield (milk solids yield: lactose yield ratio).
The researchers observed a negative correlation between lactose yield and milk composition variables (fat and protein percentages) and environmental factors such as the temperature-humidity index. Heritability estimates indicated a moderate genetic influence on lactose yield, lactose percentage, and milk solids yield: lactose yield (0.24-0.33).
The identification of cows producing milk with a consistently lower lactose percentage or higher milk solids yield: lactose yield ratio highlights the potential for selective breeding against lactose output to increase the production of milk components and suppress milk volume.
These findings highlight the potential to modulate lactose synthesis that could enhance the milk production efficiency of dairy cows, and potentially reduce their environmental impact.

The food fermentation fungus Aspergillus oryzae is a source of natural antimicrobials against Listeria monocytogenes. Tu Z, Choi D, Huynh TN, et al. J Dairy Sci. 2025 Feb 11:S0022-0302(25)00072-4.

Listeria monocytogenes is a highly adaptable foodborne pathogen that causes multiple foodborne illness outbreaks annually despite stringent food safety measures. The ubiquitous presence of L. monocytogenes in agricultural production environments provides easy routes of contamination to the human food production chain.
The remarkable resilience of L. monocytogenes in harsh food processing and preservation conditions presents further challenges to controlling this pathogen in food and food processing plants. Furthermore, there is an increasing consumer demand for natural antimicrobials in food. Aspergillus oryzae is a food fermentation fungus with a GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status and is a workhorse in biotechnology applications.
In this study, researchers examined the antimicrobial activity of Aspergillus oryzae fermentates and extracts toward L. monocytogenes, both in laboratory cultures and contaminated milk.
oryzae-derived antimicrobials can be obtained in 2 culture conditions, which were termed NP1 and NP2. Laboratory cultures of L. monocytogenes were effectively and rapidly killed by both NP1 and NP2 extracts.
In contaminated milk, the NP1 extract was bactericidal, whereas the NP2 extract was bacteriostatic. Nevertheless, the NP2 extract was heat stable, retaining antimicrobial activity even after boiling.
Profiling L. monocytogenes transcriptional response to a sub-inhibitory level of NP2 fermentate, resulted in significant shifts in amino acid metabolism and iron uptake, suggesting that these pathways can be tackled to increase the efficacy of NP2.
Taken together, A. oryzae fermentates and extracts are promising candidates for natural antimicrobial treatments in food and food processing environments.

Nutrition and Health

CDRF and NDC Co-Authored Publication – Decrypting the messages in the matrix: The proceedings of a symposium on dairy food matrix science and public health opportunities. Comerford KB, Unger AL, Cifelli CJ, Feeney E, Rowe S, Weaver C, Brown K. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2025 Mar 3:1-14.

Although food matrix research is still in its infancy, there is an emerging understanding of the important role of the food matrix on human nutrition and physiology, as well as for public health.
This understanding has largely been propelled forward by research involving different milk and dairy food matrices which has revealed that in addition to their distinct array of nutrients and bioactive compounds, milk and dairy foods also contain complex food matrix microstructures that act as nutrient and bioactive delivery systems that set them apart from the other food groups.
Due to these distinct food matrix properties, milk and dairy foods may be uniquely positioned to help Americans meet many of their nutrition and health needs. The aim of this manuscript is to describe the activities and findings from a National Dairy Council-sponsored symposium focused on connecting the science on milk and dairy food matrices with opportunities for improving public health.
This proceedings paper summarizes and communicates the symposium presentations and panel discussions, key insights, and next steps to help leverage the evidence on different dairy food matrices (e.g., milk, yogurt, cheese) to develop science-backed strategies to support public health and health equity.

Perspective: Milk and Dairy Provide Affordable High-Quality Protein and Merit Inclusion in the Protein Foods Group. Drewnowski A. Curr Dev Nutr. 2025;9(1):104539.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) protein foods group includes meat, poultry, seafood, and several plant-based proteins-but not dairy. Yet milk, yogurt, and cheese provide affordable high-quality protein and multiple priority micronutrients.
The present analyses compared dairy with Protein Group foods in terms of protein content and quality, nutrient density, and protein cost, using USDA nutrient composition databases and published national food prices.
Protein quality was adjusted using Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Scores (PDCAAS). Nutrient density was assessed using the Nutrient Rich Food Index calculated per 100 kcal and per serving. Affordability was the cost of providing 1-oz equivalent of PDCAAS-corrected high-quality protein.
Servings of milk, yogurt, and cheese provided 7 g of protein and were comparable with eggs and beans in terms of protein cost.
The MyPlate 1-oz protein equivalency table ought to consider protein quality and ought to include dairy products as sources of dietary protein.

Is Low-Fat Dairy an Appropriate Recommendation for Children? Ng NX, Gross SM. JAMA Pediatr. 2025 Feb 24.

Many countries’ dietary guidelines recommend a daily intake of nutrient-rich dairy products in the form of milk, yogurt, or cheese, typically from cow’s milk (hereinafter referred to as dairy).
From ages 2 to 18 years, children are encouraged to consume 2 to 3 servings of dairy daily and shift from consuming whole-fat to low-fat dairy to prevent obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD); the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) and UK, Australian, and European guidelines all make this recommendation.
However, evidence suggests that, when consumed within recommended quantities, whole-fat dairy may have a null or even protective effect on children’s weight, adiposity, and cardiovascular health.
The current evidence base comprises mostly observational studies; changing dietary guidelines on this basis alone will be challenging. High-quality intervention trials should be prioritized, given the staple role dairy plays in many children’s diets.
Meanwhile, health care professionals should communicate the existing evidence for higher- vs lower-fat dairy and emphasize choosing unsweetened options.

Effect of a 12-month intervention with whey protein powder on cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled trial. Li F, He R, Rong S, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2025 Feb:S0002-9165(24)00889-X.

Previous animal studies have revealed that supplementation with milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) alleviates Alzheimer’s disease pathology in mice. We hypothesized that supplementation with whey protein powder rich in MFGM, taurine, and B vitamins would improve cognitive function in subjects with mild cognitive impairment.
Researchers conducted a 12-month randomized controlled trial to investigate the effects of whey protein powder on cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.
Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the active intervention group (whey protein powder, 15 g/d) or the control group (placebo, 15 g/d). The researchers performed comprehensive cognitive function tests at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months.
The primary outcome was global cognitive function determined by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Secondary outcomes included other cognitive subdomains, and body composition. The data were analyzed using the intention-to-treat (ITT) principle.
A total of 107 participants (mean age of 63 years) were randomly assigned to the active intervention group (n =53), or control group (n = 54).
In the ITT analysis, the mean change in MoCA score at 12 moth was 3.23 in the active intervention group and 1.42 in the control group, with the mean difference between groups (group × time interaction) in change of MoCA score was 1.81. The modified ITT and per-protocol analyses showed similar results.
The results also found a significant beneficial effect of the active intervention for several secondary cognitive outcomes such as Digit Symbol Substitution Test score, and the mean difference between groups in the ITT analysis was 2.72. Few side effects were reported during the study, and there was no statistically significant difference between groups.
In conclusion, supplementation with whey protein powder rich in MFGM, taurine, and B vitamins for 12 months improved cognitive function in older adults with MCI.

The protective effects of cheese intake on joint pain and underlying biomarkers: Insights from the Mendelian randomization. Chen K, Wu J, Xu Y, Huang P, Zhang S. J Dairy Sci. 2025 Feb 11:S0022-0302(25)00086-4.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between cheese consumption and the risk of joint pain, as well as to assess the mediating role of biomarkers.
Utilizing Mendelian randomization methods, researchers analyzed data from the UK Biobank and the FinnGen Biobank to evaluate the link between cheese intake and joint pain, examining 44 biomarkers as potential mediators.
The findings revealed a significant inverse association between cheese intake and the risk of joint pain, mediated by various biomarkers, including neutrophil count, apolipoprotein A, peak expiratory flow, cystatin C, IGF-1, sex hormone-binding globulin, urate, and automated diastolic blood pressure.
These results suggest that cheese intake may reduce the risk of joint pain by affecting specific biomarkers, providing a scientific basis for dietary interventions to decrease the incidence of joint pain.
However, the study’s limitations include the ethnic homogeneity of the sample population and incomplete analysis of biomarkers, indicating the need for further research to confirm and expand upon these initial findings.

The impact of sex and the cheese matrix on cholesterol metabolism in middle-aged adults. Rooney M, O’Connor A, Dunne S, Feeney EL, Gibney ER. Atherosclerosis. 2025;402:119112.

Cheese has been shown to lower total and LDL cholesterol concentrations, despite being a source of saturated fat. The dairy matrix is purported to be responsible for this effect.
There is increasing recognition of sexual dimorphism in the development and progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD), in addition to sex-related differences in response to nutrition interventions.
This analysis aims to explore the effect of sex on the cholesterol-lowering effect of cheese compared to butter.
The present study is secondary analysis of pooled data from two parallel-arm randomized controlled trials (RCT) with similar protocols, where participants (n = 197) received either 120g cheese (n = 104) or deconstructed cheese (49g butter, 30g calcium caseinate and a calcium supplement, n = 93) for 6 weeks. Each arm provided ∼40g fat per day.
In the group as a whole, cheese was found to lower total and LDL cholesterol, compared to deconstructed cheese. No sex × treatment interactions were observed although, within-sex analysis found men and women to respond differently.
Within males, cholesterol concentrations decreased in response to dairy fat. Within the female group cheese lowered total and LDL cholesterol concentrations, whereas deconstructed cheese was found to increase the same lipid markers.
In conclusion,cheese was found to lower cholesterol concentrations in the cohort as a whole, while men and women were found to respond differently to dairy fat. Females appear to respond more favorably to cheese compared to deconstructed cheese.
These findings indicate the cheese matrix may have a stronger effect in females and thus may play a role in personalized nutrition.

Functional modulation of the human gut microbiome by bacteria vehicled by cheese. Milani C, Longhi G, Ventura M, et al. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2025 Feb 28:e0018025.

Since cheese is one of the most commonly and globally consumed fermented foods, scientific investigations in recent decades have focused on determining the impact of this dairy product on human health and well-being.
Here, through the use of an in vitrohuman gut-simulating cultivation model in combination with multi-omics approaches, researchers have shown that minor rather than dominant bacterial players of the cheese microbiota are responsible for gut microbiota modulation of cheese consumers. These include taxa from the genera Enterococcus, Bacillus, Clostridium and Hafnia.
Indeed, these minor bacterial players contribute to expanding the functional potential of the intestinal microbial ecosystem by introducing genes responsible for the production of metabolites with relevant biological activity, including genes involved in the synthesis of vitamins, short-chain fatty acids, and amino acids.
Furthermore, tracing of cheese microbiota-associated bacterial strains in fecal samples from cheese consumers provided evidence of horizontal transmission events, enabling the detection of particular bacterial strains transferred from cheese to humans.
Moreover, transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses of a horizontally transmitted (cheese-to-consumer) bacterial strain, i.e., Hafnia paralveiT10, cultivated in a human gut environment-simulating medium, confirmed the concept that cheese-derived bacteria may expand the functional arsenal of the consumer’s gut microbiota.
The current study highlights not only that cheese microbiota-associated bacteria can be traced in the human gut microbiota, but also that they may expand the functional repertoire of the human gut microbiota, with potentially significant implications for human health.
In this context, cheese, being a fermented food with its own microbiota, serves not only as a source of nourishment for humans, but also as a source of nutrients for the consumer’s gut microbiota.

Functional Significance of Probiotic Bacterial Interactions with Milk Fat Globules in a Human Host. Wasana WP, Waterland M, Everett DW, Thum C. Microorganisms. 2025;13(2):223.

Dairy products often serve as matrices for delivering probiotic bacteria to humans through the diet; however, little is known about the impact of milk fat globules on the growth and survival of probiotic microorganisms.
This review discusses current knowledge on the structure and functionality of the milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) and the structural components contributing to the mechanisms of interactions with probiotic bacteria.
Researchers analyzed studies published between 2001 and 2025 with reference to earlier foundational research on probiotics and MFGM structure to explore the functional significance of MFGM-probiotic interactions.
Recent research indicates that the effects of MFGM interaction with bacteria are species-specific and may influence probiotic activity in the host, including enhancing probiotic viability during intestinal transit and modulating probiotic colonization.
In general, research findings suggest that the MFGM holds potential for use as a probiotic carrier to the gut with beneficial health consequences.

Alternative biological functions of lactose: a narrative review. Anguita-Ruiz A, Vatanparast H, Gil A., et al. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2025 Feb 27:1-14.

Lactose, commonly known as “milk sugar,” offers various health benefits beyond its role as an energy source. However, not all individuals can digest lactose, with a minority of the population exhibiting gastrointestinal symptoms after its consumption.
In the present review, we highlight the multifaceted health effects of lactose, including its impact on calcium absorption, its low cariogenicity, its role in satiety control, its ability to enhance athletic performance, and its potential benefits as a prebiotic for gut health.
Since these benefits are inherently dependent on lactose intake trends and the digestion capacity of populations, we also present the latest available information on the current trends in lactose consumption around the world. Overall, the gathered evidence suggests that moderate lactose consumption is recommended, as it can foster multiple lifelong health benefits.

Innovation, Social Science, and Dairy Alternatives

Microencapsulation of Probiotics for Enhanced Stability and Health Benefits in Dairy Functional Foods: A Focus on Pasta Filata Cheese. D’Amico V, Cavaliere M, Lopedota AA, et al .Pharmaceutics. 2025 Feb 2;17(2):185.

Probiotics provide significant health benefits, but their viability is often compromised during production, storage, and passage through the gastrointestinal tract. These challenges hinder their effective incorporation into functional applications, particularly in dairy functional foods, in which factors such as acidity, oxygen exposure, and storage conditions negatively impact cell survival.
The focus of this review is on functional dairy foods, particularly on pasta filata cheeses. Indeed, the use of probiotics in pasta filata cheeses presents significant challenges due to the specific manufacturing processes, which encompass the application of high temperatures and other harsh conditions. These factors can adversely affect the viability and availability of probiotic microorganisms.
However, microencapsulation has emerged as a promising solution, offering a protective barrier that enhances probiotic stability, improves survival rates, and facilitates targeted release in the gastrointestinal environment.
This review examines the pivotal role of microencapsulation in stabilizing probiotics for functional applications, emphasizing its relevance in high-value food systems. Functional applications, including foods designed to offer essential nutritional benefits and promote host health, play a crucial role in disease prevention and immune system support, reducing the risk of infections and other physiological impairments.
Key microencapsulation technologies are analyzed, focusing on their benefits, limitations, and challenges related to scalability and industrial implementation. Additionally, this review discusses strategies to optimize formulations, ensure the sensory quality of final products, and explore future opportunities for expanding innovative applications that align with growing consumer demand for health-promoting solutions.

Wearable Collar Technologies for Dairy Cows: A Systematized Review of the Current Applications and Future Innovations in Precision Livestock Farming. Lamanna M, Bovo M, Cavallini D. Animals (Basel). 2025 Feb 6;15(3):458.

Wearable collar technologies have become integral to the advancement of precision livestock farming, revolutionizing how dairy cattle are monitored in terms of their behavior, health status, and productivity.
These devices leverage cutting-edge sensors, including accelerometers, RFID tags, GPS receivers, microphones, gyroscopes, and magnetometers, to provide non-invasive, real-time insights that enhance animal welfare, optimize resource use, and support decision-making processes in livestock management.
This systematic review focuses on analyzing the sensors integrated into collar-based systems, detailing their functionalities and applications. However, significant challenges remain, including the high energy consumption of some sensors, the need for frequent recharging, and limited parameter coverage by individual devices.
Future developments must focus on integrating multiple sensor types into unified systems to provide comprehensive data on animal behavior, health, and environmental interactions. Additionally, advancements in energy-efficient designs, longer battery life, and cost-reduction strategies are essential to enhance the practicality and accessibility of these technologies.
By addressing these challenges, wearable collar systems can play a pivotal role in promoting sustainable, efficient, and responsible livestock farming, aligning with global goals for environmental and economic sustainability.
This paper underscores the transformative potential of wearable collar technologies in reshaping the livestock industry and driving the adoption of innovative farming practices worldwide.

Data Integration and Analytics in the Dairy Industry: Challenges and Pathways Forward. Cabrera VE, Bewley J, Sullivan M, et al. Animals (Basel). 2025;15(3):329

The dairy industry faces significant challenges in data integration and analysis, which are critical for informed decision-making, operational optimization, and sustainability. Data integration-combining data from diverse sources, such as herd management systems, sensors, and diagnostics-remains difficult due to the lack of standardization, infrastructure barriers, and proprietary concerns.
This commentary explores these issues based on insights from a multidisciplinary group of stakeholders, including industry experts, researchers, and practitioners. Key challenges discussed include the absence of a national animal identification system in the US, high IT resource costs, reluctance to share data due to competitive disadvantages, and differences in global data handling practices.
Proposed pathways forward include developing comprehensive data integration guidelines, enhancing farmer awareness through training programs, and fostering collaboration across industry, academia, and technology providers. Additional recommendations involve improving data exchange standards, addressing interoperability issues, and leveraging advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
Emphasis is placed on localized data integration solutions for farm-level benefits and broader research applications to advance sustainability, traceability, and profitability within the dairy supply chain. These outcomes provide a foundation for achieving streamlined data systems, enabling actionable insights, and fostering innovation in the dairy industry.

Data Ownership and Privacy in Dairy Farming: Insights from U.S. and Global Perspectives. Barton R, Burchard J, Saha A, et al. Animals (Basel). 2025 Feb 12;15(4):524.

In the evolving landscape of dairy farming, data ownership and privacy have become critical issues.
This commentary paper delves into the complexities and implications of data management in the dairy industry, informed by insights from a multidisciplinary group of stakeholders.
While the authors bring a U.S. perspective, the challenges discussed are globally relevant, given the dominant role of multinational corporations in shaping data practices across regions.
The discussions, conducted through structured meetings and iterative online exchanges, emphasized the pressing legal and ethical concerns, the role of technology, and the necessity of developing comprehensive guidelines to safeguard data integrity and benefit all stakeholders.
Key points include the global nature of data protection regulations, the potential of blockchain and IoT devices to enhance transparency, and the importance of equitable value distribution.
By fostering an environment of transparency and fairness, the dairy industry can harness the power of data to drive innovation and sustainability while protecting the rights of those who generate it.
This paper provides a pathway to address these challenges by raising awareness and proposing general actions for the industry’s future.

Animal-source foods for nutrition, environment and society: finding a balance. Nordhagen S.Proc Nutr Soc. 2025 Feb 6:1-11.

While malnutrition (including both undernutrition and overweight/obesity and related non-communicable diseases) remains a persistent challenge in countries around the world, it is far from alone as a threat to human development and wellbeing – and is increasingly viewed as intersecting with climate change and environmental degradation.
At the crossroads of these issues, animal-source foods (ASFs, including meat, fish, seafood, dairy and eggs) have attracted considerable attention in recent years, both for their role in diets and for their environmental impacts.
Heated debate has focused on the potential benefits of reducing consumption of ASFs as well as the potential nutritional risks associated with this. ASF production also plays an important role in livelihoods, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. ASFs are also central to many food cultures and traditions, highly valued by many consumers.
As the issues associated with ASFs are intertwined, they must be considered jointly and with nuance. Given wide global ranges in ASF consumption, environmental footprints and malnutrition rates and types, considering equity (in terms of ASF consumption and production) is also critical.
This review examines these complex issues, discussing ASFs from the perspectives of nutrition and health, environmental impacts, livelihoods and society, and equity. It also examines potential future options for reducing environmental impacts of ASFs.

The protein transition: what determines the animal-to-plant (A:P) protein ratios in global diets. Drewnowski A, Hooker K. Front Nutr. 2025 Feb 12;12:1518793.

Several high-income countries have announced plans to reduce the animal-to-plant (A:P) protein ratios in their population diets. Their current A:P ratio is around 65:35, with two thirds of the protein coming from animal sources, meat, eggs, and dairy.
Efforts to reduce the dietary A:P protein ratio to 50:50, 40:60, or below are sometimes referred to as a “healthy protein transition.”
Analyses of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Bank data were used to show that an opposing and far more important protein transition is taking place globally.
In most low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), the dietary A:P protein ratio was closely associated with, if not determined, by gross national incomes (GNI). As incomes rise, LMIC populations adopt more varied and more nutrient-rich diets with more animal proteins and especially meat.
This protein transition, manifested by a strong observed relation between rising incomes and higher A:P protein ratios, follows a well-known principle of economics known as Bennett’s Law.
In conclusion, consumer education and regulatory and policy measures aimed at reducing dietary A:P protein ratios worldwide may not uncouple the fundamental relation between powerful economic forces and global diet structures.

Can lab-grown milk be a novel trend in the dairy industry? Lelis CA, Alvares TDS, Conte Junior CA. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2025 Feb 24:1-10.

Milk using the traditional production system has been associated with environmental problems such as gas emissions and climate change, drawing the attention of industry and researchers to the search for alternatives that may be more sustainable for milk production.
Cellular agriculture is an emerging process proposed for food production without animal involvement. Although milk production through cellular agriculture is in the initial phase and presents many technical challenges, its production is promising and has attracted key players in the dairy sector.
This review highlighted two types of lab-grown milk production: production using mammary cells and precision fermentation using specific microbial hosts.
There are still few scientific articles that address milk production through cellular agriculture. Studies have focused on obtaining milk proteins that can be combined with other constituents, such as water, oils, and carbohydrates, to create products that simulate milk’s nutritional and functional properties.
Patent applications from dairy industries and startups describing methods for obtaining lab-grown milk include genetic manipulation, selection of microorganisms, culture medium for growth of microorganisms or mammary cells, growth factors, and engineering of bioreactors used in milk production and/or constituents.
Challenges related to optimal nutritional profile, costs and regulatory issues must be addressed in the coming years.
Therefore, this review article provides relevant information and discussion about lab-grown milk, which, despite being promising, is still in the early stages.