Dairy Research Bulletin
Selected Articles from July 2026

Environmental Management and Sustainability

CDRF-Funded Research - Effect of air nanobubbles on emission of greenhouse gases and ammonia from dairy manure collected after settling basin. El Mashad HM, Morales B, Pan Y, Zhao Y, Mitloehner F. Biosystems Engineering. 2026. 270:104550.

• California is the major producer of milk in the United States, with 18.1% of the nation's milk production. Most of these dairy cows are housed in free stall barns, where manure is managed through flushing or flushing systems and stored in lagoons. The flushed manure is then pumped to a settling basin, where solid particles are settled by gravity.
• The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of air nanobubbles technology on the emissions of methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and ammonia (NH3) from dairy manure collected after a settling basin on a commercial dairy farm in California.
• Manure was stored in stainless steel drums for one month under ambient conditions. During storage, manure was treated with air nanobubbles and conventional aeration, and compared with the control (i.e., without aeration). Duplicate drums were tested under each condition. Each drum was covered with a flux chamber to collect gas samples that were continuously analyzed for different gases.
• Results showed that nanobubbles treatment achieved significantly lower CH4 and NH3 emission rates than conventional aeration treatment and control. However, it significantly increased the emissions of CO2 and N2O. The reduction of CH4 emission rates by nanobubbles treatment was 97.9% and 97.5% as compared to control and conventional aeration treatment, respectively, while the emissions of N2O increased by 99 and 21.5 times, respectively.
• The decreased emissions of CH4 by air nanobubbles treatment may be due to the greater oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) and Dissolved Oxygen (DO) in nanobubbles treatment than in conventional aeration treatment and control. The increased CO2 and N2O emissions could be attributed to the confounding effects of enhanced oxygen transfer and elevated temperatures associated with the nanobubble treatment.
• Compared with conventional aeration treatment and control, there was a substantial decrease in ammonium concentrations and an increase in nitrate concentrations in manure treated with air nanobubbles; nitrate concentrations substantially increased.
• The increase in N2O emissions may affect the adoption of nanobubbles technology by dairy farmers who are interested in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, more research is needed to optimize the operational parameters (air flow rates and frequency) of this technology and find a cost-effective method to reduce the emissions of N2O and production of nitrate to reduce its seepage to the groundwater when the treated manure is used as a fertilizer and irrigation water.

Valorization of dairy industry waste streams via anaerobic digestion. Islam MS, Ranade VV. J Environ Manage. 2026 Jul 11;414:130451.

• The dairy processing industry generates a variety of high-strength waste streams, including brown sludge, dissolved air flotation (DAF) sludge, white sludge, fat-oil-grease (FOG) waste, and dairy effluents, which pose significant environmental and economic challenges if not properly managed. Anaerobic digestion (AD) offers a sustainable and energy-positive solution for treating these organic-rich wastes while recovering biomethane as a renewable energy source.
• This review presents a comprehensive assessment of the characteristics, treatment challenges, and biomethane potential of different dairy-derived waste streams. Special focus is given to recent advancements in pretreatment technologies, particularly hydrodynamic cavitation (HC), which has shown promise in enhancing sludge disintegration, solubilization, and microbial bioavailability.
• Compared to traditional physical, chemical, and biological pretreatments, HC offers an energy-efficient, scalable, and environmentally benign approach, especially when integrated into co-digestion strategies involving DAF and brown sludge.
• The review also highlights techno-economic considerations, demonstrating significant methane yield improvements and net energy gains when optimized HC pretreatment is applied. By synthesizing recent findings and identifying research gaps, this study underscores the transformative potential of HC-assisted AD for the valorization of dairy industry waste streams and provides a foundation for future developments in energy-efficient waste management.

Recovery of slow-release multi-nutrient matrix from dairy manure through acid-mediated mild hydrothermal treatment. Devnath B, Gao B, Reza T. Waste Manag. 2026 Jul 15;224:115732.

• Global agriculture increasingly demands sustainable soil fertilization strategies that balance nutrient efficiency with the preservation of environmental safety.
• Here, researchers demonstrate a novel integrated approach coupling acid mediated mild hydrothermal treatment (HT) of dairy manure at 120, 140, 160 °C with alkaline precipitation to synthesize a slow-release multi-nutrient matrix (SRMNM) that achieves pH responsive controlled nutrient availability through inherent material properties.
• SEM-EDX, XRD, and FTIR analyses confirmed an amorphous, mineral-rich matrix of the produced SRMNM, achieving nitrogen content of 1.10-1.31%, phosphorus of 4.36-4.79%, and potassium of 6.74-7.09%. Micronutrient profiles included zinc (39.6-48.0 mg kg⁻¹), copper (71.4-76.3 mg kg⁻¹), and manganese (209-226 mg kg⁻¹), all within nutritional ranges for plant growth.
• The contrasting nutrient release profiles; near-complete retention (99.5-99.8%) in deionized water versus near-complete mobilization (70.8-98.6%) under citric acid extraction, supporting the slow-release potential of the recovered matrix, confirming that SRMNM resists nutrient loss in bulk soil while remaining bioavailable in the rhizosphere.
• All heavy metal concentrations remained below U.S. EPA biosolids standards (40 CFR 503.13) with limited bioavailability.
• This integrated approach uniquely valorizes dairy waste into a multi-nutrient matrix with slow-release potential combining amorphous mineral architecture with inherent pH-responsive nutrient bioavailability, advancing sustainable nutrient management in circular agricultural systems.

Pre-biodrying enhances compost humification via redirecting carbon allocation towards microbial necromass formation. Wu W, Han Y, Qin Y, et al. Bioresour Technol. 2026 Jul 23:135484.

• Pre-biodrying is considered to promote compost maturation and humification by accelerating extracellular organic matter degradation, but how it affects subsequent microbial carbon assimilation and carbon allocation remains unclear.
• This study evaluated the effects of pre-biodrying on plant-derived carbon (PDC) transformation, microbial necromass carbon (MNC) accumulation, and humification during the composting of solid dairy manure digestate.
• Results showed that pre-biodrying significantly improved compost maturity and humification degree, as indicated by higher germination index and degree of polymerization at 15 d (Humic acid carbon = 37.31 ± 0.68, Degree of polymerization = 3.50 ± 0.43; P < 0.001). Carbon-pool analysis showed that pre-biodrying composting (BD) not only accelerated PDC depletion, but also promoted MNC accumulation.
• By 15 d, PDC was lower in BD than in traditional single-stage composting (TC), whereas bacterial necromass carbon (17.23 ± 1.11 vs. 14.47 ± 0.83 g kg^-1) and fungal necromass carbon (20.37 ± 1.85 vs. 18.23 ± 1.78 g kg^-1) were significantly higher in BD. DOM fluorescence characteristics further showed a higher proportion of microbially derived fluorescent components in BD.
• Microbial analysis indicated that BD enriched microbial taxa associated with complex carbon transformation (Streptomyces and Microascus) corresponding to MNC accumulation.
• Mechanistic analysis suggested that pre-biodrying enhances digestate compost humification by promoting microbial carbon assimilation and turnover, thereby redirecting carbon allocation towards microbial necromass formation and providing more microbially derived carbon that may contribute to humic acid formation and stabilization.

Effect of farmer-guided farm tours on public knowledge of and attitudes toward dairy cattle welfare, dairy product quality, and environmental sustainability in Canada. Smid AC, Roche S, Ventura BA, et al. J Dairy Sci. 2026 Jul 10:S0022-0302(26)03082-1.

• The need to better understand societal expectations for sustainable dairy farming is critical if the sector is going to fulfil its social license to produce. Concurrently, as livestock sectors seek to engage with the public about practices, it is important to clarify the effect of different communication approaches.
• Researchers used mixed-methods surveys to document how farmer-guided farm tours affected visitors' perceptions of the Canadian dairy industry, with a secondary aim to assess whether outcomes are affected by tour delivery style (one-way education vs. a more open approach focused on inviting questions and discussion).
• Farmers (n = 30) trained in one of 2 styles (half in each) gave farm tours on 3 commercial dairy farms in Alberta, Canada, during 'Breakfast on the Farm' events in June 2022, with 286 visitors completing pre- and post-tour surveys about their perceptions of cow welfare, dairy product quality, and the environmental stewardship of dairy farmers.
• Immediately after the farm tours, 78.3% of participants reported improved perceptions of cow welfare, or did not change from the highest positive rating (i.e., very good), whereas 9.6% reported downward shifts in welfare perceptions. The remainder (12.1%) did not change from their pre-tour perceptions.
• A total 87.5% of participants became more positive in their view on dairy product quality or did not change from the highest positive rating, 8.1% reported no change, and 4.4% became more negative.
• With regard to perceptions on the environmental responsibility of dairy farmers, 85.3% of participants became more positive or stayed at the highest rating, 9.6% did not change their rating, and 5.1% became more negative. However, 2 weeks later, 21.1% had reverted to more negative welfare perceptions, with concerns focused on cow-calf separation and lack of outdoor access.
• Similar trends were observed with dairy product quality and environment perceptions. Politically right-leaning participants had lower odds of a non-positive shift (i.e., less likely to shift negatively or have no change) in their perception of dairy product quality compared with those who did not lean right, an effect that persisted after accounting for communication treatment.
• Younger participants (≤35 years) were also more likely than older participants (>35 years) to not show a positive change in their perception of dairy farmers' environmental responsibility after the tour. Tour style did not affect perception outcomes, which may be due to the challenges imposed by attempting dialogs during a walking farm tour, in combination with limited training of farmers.
• Overall, farm tours improved knowledge and awareness of dairy farming and yielded positive improvements in perception at the outset, but important questions remain about long-standing outcomes. Overall, alternative approaches (other than one-way education) to public engagement may help the dairy industry build and maintain public trust and determine what factors are important for a socially sustainable future.

High-dose phytosterols supplementation improves lactation performance, modulates rumen microbiota, and reduces methane emission intensity in mid-lactation Holstein dairy cows. Li D, Kyawt Y, Cheng Y, et al. Vet World. 2026 Jul;19(6):2339-2357.

• Enteric methane emission from dairy cows contributes substantially to greenhouse gas production and represents an inefficient loss of dietary energy. Phytosterols are plant-derived bioactive compounds with lipid-modulating and rumen fermentation-regulating properties; however, their effects on methane emission intensity and rumen microbial ecology in lactating dairy cows remain insufficiently explored.
• This study evaluated the effects of dietary phytosterols supplementation on lactation performance, nutrient digestibility, serum biochemical parameters, rumen fermentation characteristics, methane emission intensity, and rumen microbial composition in mid-lactation Holstein dairy cows.
• Thirty-four multiparous Holstein dairy cows with similar days in milk and milk yield were randomly assigned to either a control (CON) group or a phytosterols (PHY) group receiving 15 g/d of a commercial phytosterols product containing 5% active phytosterols.
• The experimental period lasted 50 days, including 7 days of adaptation and 43 days of data collection. Feed intake and milk yield were recorded daily. Milk composition, apparent nutrient digestibility, serum biochemical indices, rumen fermentation parameters, methane emission intensity, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were analyzed. Methane and carbon dioxide emissions were measured using an automated head-chamber system.
• Dietary phytosterols supplementation significantly improved milk yield, milk fat percentage, milk protein percentage, energy-corrected milk, and 3.5% fat-corrected milk compared with the CON group (p < 0.05). Apparent digestibility of organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, and ether extract was also significantly enhanced.
• Serum glucose and blood urea nitrogen concentrations increased, whereas total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations decreased in the PHY group.
• Phytosterols supplementation significantly reduced methane emission intensity per kilogram of energy-corrected milk. Ruminal acetate proportion and acetate-to-propionate ratio decreased, whereas microbial crude protein and branched-chain volatile fatty acids increased.
• In addition, phytosterols altered rumen microbial composition by increasing the abundance of beneficial bacterial genera, including SuccinivibrionaceaeUCG-001 and Prevotella, while reducing methanogenic archaea, particularly Methanobacteriota and Methanimicrococcus.
• In conclusion,high-dose phytosterols supplementation improved lactation performance, enhanced nutrient utilization, modulated rumen microbial communities, and reduced methane emission intensity in mid-lactation dairy cows. These findings indicate that phytosterols may serve as a promising natural feed additive for improving dairy production efficiency while supporting methane mitigation strategies in sustainable dairy farming.

Animal Health and Food Safety

Effects of herd management factors on annual rhythms of milk synthesis, feed intake, and feed efficiency in the western United States. Salfer IJ, Sanchez WK, Johnson K, Harvatine KJ. J Dairy Sci. 2026 Jul 21:S0022-0302(26)03102-4.

• Milk yield and milk components follow repeatable yearly patterns. Generally, milk yield peaks in mid-April and reaches a nadir in mid-October, whereas milk fat and protein concentration peak near January 1 and reach a nadir near July 1.
• Researchers have previously demonstrated that these rhythms differ across regions of the US, with milk yield having greater amplitude in the Southeastern and Southwestern United States, and milk fat and protein concentration having greater amplitude in the Upper Midwest and Northeast. However, researchers have not characterized these rhythms in the Western US, and little is known about how annual rhythms vary among different management systems.
• This experiment used 129,530 monthly milk production and feed intake records collected from 2006 to 2019 from 332 herds throughout California, the Pacific Northwest, the Southwest and the Upper Midwest.
• The researchers examined the effects of region, breed, housing system (freestall vs. loose housing), management system (conventional vs. organic) and bST use on annual rhythms of milk, milk fat and milk protein yield, milk fat, milk protein, and MUN concentration, and DMI and feed conversion efficiency (DMI/ECM).
• The significance of the 12-mo rhythms was assessed via a zero-amplitude test, comparing the linearized cosine model against a reduced linear model excluding rhythmic effects. Dry matter intake fit a 12-mo rhythm (P < 0.0001) in all regions and peaked between Feb 1 and Feb 20. The greatest amplitude of the DMI rhythm occurred in the Southwest (1.07 kg).
• Milk yield fit an annual rhythm in all regions (P < 0.0001) and had a greater amplitude in the Southwest and California compared with the Pacific Northwest and Upper Midwest (P < 0.05). Milk yield fit a 12-mo rhythm regardless of breed (P < 0.0001), but the amplitude of the rhythm was greater for Holsteins than Jerseys or Crossbreds (P < 0.05).
• Neither housing system nor management system altered the annual of milk, milk fat, or milk protein yield, but organic herds had greater amplitudes of milk fat and protein concentration (P < 0.05). Use of rBST did not impact annual rhythms of milk, milk fat, or milk protein yield, but did increase the amplitude of feed conversion efficiency by 100% (P < 0.05).
• Results further confirm that geographic region and breed impact annual rhythms of milk synthesis, but suggest that the impacts of housing system, management system, and bST on these rhythms are minimal. Furthermore, this study establishes that both dry matter and feed conversion efficiency follow a seasonal pattern characteristic of an annual rhythm.

Nutritional Strategies to Mitigate Heat Stress in Cattle: A Narrative Review. Dhakal R, Krömker V, Woudstra S, et al. Microorganisms. 2026 Jul 10;14(7):1511.

• Heat stress is a growing concern in cattle production systems due to the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events driven by climate change. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the multifaceted impacts of heat stress and focuses on nutritional strategies to mitigate its effects on ruminating cattle.
• A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Heat stress adversely affects cattle physiology, behavior, rumen function, and overall productivity, particularly in dairy animals with high metabolic activity.
• During heat stress episodes, changes in the microbial population have been reported; however, there is no clear consensus, as findings vary widely among studies depending on diet, feed intake, animal type and experimental design. This variability limits the ability to draw general conclusions regarding changes in the rumen microbiome driven by heat stress.
• In this context, dietary nutritional intervention strategies offer a practical and scalable approach to enhance thermotolerance and maintain performance under heat stress conditions. Key nutritional strategies include modifications in diet composition to reduce metabolic heat production, with some approaches carrying potential risks to animal health, e.g., increasing dietary energy density through concentrates while minimizing forage content.
• Supplementation with rumen-protected nutrients like amino acids, vitamins, and minerals can be used to support immune function, antioxidant capacity, and metabolic stability. Polyphenols and betaine contribute to oxidative stress reduction and gut integrity, while probiotics may be used to improve rumen fermentation and nutrient utilization.
• Sensor technologies, including rumen boluses and wearable devices, offer the potential to monitor physiological responses to heat stress in real time and offer opportunities for precision feeding and early intervention.
• Future research should therefore prioritize longitudinal, in vivo trials that integrate physiological, metabolic, and microbial responses to understand the long term and systemic effect of heat stress. A multidisciplinary approach combining nutritional, environmental, and technological strategies is likely to play an important role in safeguarding cattle welfare and productivity in a warming climate.

Transitioning dairy cows to automatic milking: Effects of different training methods on behavioral responses during the first 3 milkings. Heinsius JL, von Keyserlingk MAG, Weary DM. J Dairy Sci. 2026 Jul 27:S0022-0302(26)03145-0.

• Automatic milking systems (AMS) allow cows to choose when and how often they are visiting the milking unit, but introduction to these systems can be fear inducing. Sometimes cows are habituated to an AMS before milking is initiated, but there are no widely agreed upon training procedures for easing this transition.
• The aims of the current study were to: 1) assess behavioral responses associated with fear when cows were first introduced to AMS milking, and 2) test if these responses were affected by how cows were trained. We followed a single pen of 46 lactating cows (with an average parity of 2.8 ± 1.6) during a herd-wide transition from parlor to AMS milking. Cows were randomly assigned to either acclimation training regimen followed by baseline training (n = 26), or to just the baseline training (n = 21). Cows subjected to the acclimation regimen began training 13 d before the switch from parlor to AMS milking. This acclimation regimen consisted of a habituation phase that included exposure to a non-operational AMS unit, with cows encouraged (using positive reinforcement via a grain reward) to enter the milking unit. The acclimation training ended 3 d before the switch to AMS milking; at this point 11 of 21 of the acclimation-trained cows had freely entered the AMS and were thus included in our assessment of successfully trained cows. Baseline training was then applied to all cows in the pen once daily for the remaining 3 d; this involved farm staff moving cows individually into the non-operational AMS where they received a food reward. After the initiation of AMS milking, we monitored behavioral responses for their first 3 milkings for the cows receiving baseline training and the cows that successfully completed the acclimation training. The behavior responses assessed included time resisting when entering the milking unit (i.e., time stopped moving or moving backward at the entrance of the AMS), number of kicks during milking, and time spent eating during milking. We found that acclimation trained cows performed less resisting behavior across all events (model mean ± SE 0.6 ± 0.5 log s/milking) than did the baseline trained cows (1.8 ± 0.3 log s/milking), and resisting increased in the second and third milking relative to the first milking event (1st milking event: 1.0 ± 0.4 log s/milking, 2nd and 3rd milking events: 1.6 ± 0.4 log s/milking). Regardless of the training treatment, cows were similar in number of kicks and time spent eating in the AMS unit. We conclude that the acclimation training encouraged entrance into the AMS. We encourage future work to assess other training methods and potentially more sensitive response measures.

Milk allowance affects play responsiveness in calves. St John Wallis A, Mendl MT, Lecorps B, Held SDE. Anim Welf. 2026 Jul 15;35:e40.

• Play behavior is increasingly being used as an animal welfare indicator. Calves on standard milk allowances, thought to be experiencing hunger, often play less than those fed more due to lower nutrition, negative affect, or both. However, various aspects of play can be measured, and the most sensitive forms of play to hunger and welfare are unclear.
• Therefore, researchers explored the relationship between milk allowance and various play behaviors and characteristics, including those that have received less attention, such as play responsiveness (i.e. the likelihood of a calf playing in response to their partner's locomotor play).
• Pair-housed calves (n = 22) on a commercial dairy farm were provided either 6 L milk per day (standard) or 12 L milk per day (enhanced). Each pair included one calf from each diet group. At 16 days old (7 days after imposition of the diets), the calves were habituated to the play arena, before their play behaviors were assessed firstly in pairs and then individually on two consecutive days.
• Unexpectedly, milk allowances did not affect locomotor play (i.e. running, kicks/bucks) in either test. The expected effects may have been masked by the calves' high motivation to play in the arena, as their home pens greatly limited play opportunities.
• However, calves fed less milk showed lower play responsiveness, potentially due to them having a higher 'threshold' for play being elicited or having reduced motivation to engage in social play. The group differences in play responsiveness suggest that this variable may be a more sensitive welfare indicator warranting further research.

Reservoirs of spoilage fungi in the built environment of cultured dairy facilities vary by season and location. Man S, Daly SE, Shi X, Feng J, Snyder AB. Microbiol Spectr. 2026 Jul 17:e0041326.

• Spoilage of cultured dairy products from fungal contamination results in food waste and economic loss. The processing environment is a source of spoilage fungi in cultured dairy products.
• Fungi from the facility's built environment can be transferred to the product via air currents, water droplets, or through surface contact. Fungi within the built environment (i.e.,non-food contact and architectural structures) of dairy processing facilities have not been well characterized.
• This study identified the seasonal and spatial variations in fungal identity, relative abundance, and diversity within the built environment of three cultured dairy facilities. Furthermore, researchers compared fungal genera in spoiled cultured dairy products to fungal genera in their facility's built environment.
• The researchers used internal transcribed spacer sequencing to characterize fungi from 119 environmental surfaces in three cultured dairy facilities and from 154 spoiled cultured dairy products manufactured in those facilities.
• The fungal genera Aureobasidium, Candida, Cladosporium, Mucor, Penicillium, and Yarrowiawere identified in both spoiled products and their corresponding built environment. The fungal diversity on environmental surfaces varied, and was significantly different among Production Area (Warehouse, Raw, Filling, and Post-Pasteurization) and Season.
• Furthermore, the abundance of several fungal genera related to dairy product spoilage was significantly different among Production Area, Season, Object Type, and Facility. Network analysis further demonstrated distinct fungal composition among Production Areas within each facility.
• These results support the need for hygienic zoning in food processing facilities. Our work confirms the importance of environmental surface swabbing as a tool to locate potential fungal reservoirs in the built environment, which can aid targeted interventions against spoilage fungi in dairy processing facilities.

Nutrition and Health
Association between probiotic, prebiotic, and yogurt consumption and colorectal cancer: real-world evidence from the US NHANES. Tu CW, Wang HL. Nutr Diabetes. 2026 Jul 6

• Colorectal cancer (CRC) is influenced by genetic, environmental, and dietary factors, with increasing evidence highlighting the role of the gut microbiota in its development. Probiotics, prebiotics, and fermented foods such as yogurt have been recognized for their ability to promote gut microbial balance and potentially reduce CRC risk.
• This study try to investigate the association between the consumption of these dietary components and CRC prevalence among adults aged 50 years and older.
• This study analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2001 to 2020. Dietary intake was assessed using the Food Frequency Questionnaire and the 30-Day Dietary Supplement Use Questionnaire, while CRC history was based on self-reported diagnoses.
• Multivariable logistic regressions were applied, adjusting for demographic characteristics (age, sex, race/ethnicity, poverty income ratio, education), lifestyle factors (smoking status, total energy intake, red meat intake, total dietary fiber intake), and clinical variables (BMI, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, fasting plasma glucose, and serum albumin).
• The final analytic sample included 9,405 participants, representing an estimated 37 million U.S. adults. After adjustment, consumption of probiotics, prebiotics, or yogurt was associated with approximately 50% lower odds of CRC.
• These findings indicate a potential protective association of these dietary components with CRC, likely mediated through modulation of the gut microbiota. While the cross-sectional design limits causal interpretation, the results support existing literature on the beneficial role of diet in cancer prevention. Further longitudinal studies are necessary to confirm these associations and inform public health strategies aimed at reducing CRC risk through targeted dietary interventions.

The effects of a diet based on vegetable and dairy protein on nutritional status and MELD score in patients with liver cirrhosis: a randomized controlled study. Taghizadeh M, Ostevari A, Asghari S, et al. BMC Nutr. 2026 Jul 15.

• Liver cirrhosis is a progressive disease that can lead to serious complications including malnutrition which worsen the patient's condition and pose a significant threat to life. The choice of protein source plays a crucial role in the clinical management of these patients; however, concerns remain regarding their nutritional adequacy and patient tolerance.
• This RCT evaluated the effects of a diet based on vegetable and dairy protein versus a standard isocaloric, isonitrogenous diet on nutritional status and liver disease severity in cirrhotic patients.
• Forty-six adults with liver cirrhosis were randomized using a computer-generated random number sequence into two groups for a 12-week intervention. Malnutrition status based on the Royal Free Hospital-Global Assessment (RFH-GA), Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score (as the primary outcome) as well as dietary intake, anthropometric measurements, and biochemical parameters, including serum albumin and total protein were assessed at baseline and at study completion.
• The intervention group received a diet where the primary protein sources were from vegetables (e.g., legumes, soy) and dairy (e.g., milk, yogurt, cheese). Both groups followed an isocaloric, isonitrogenous diet, ensuring total protein intake was adequate and comparable. Intake records and interviews monitored dietary adherence.
• Compared to controls, the intervention group showed significant improvements in MELD score, serum creatinine, and INR. Although serum total protein decreased within the intervention group, the between-group difference was not significant, and there were no changes in serum albumin or nutritional status categories-suggesting no clinical deterioration.
• In conclusion, adherence to a 12-week vegetable- and dairy-based protein diet in patients with liver cirrhosis significantly reduced short-term disease severity without adversely affecting nutritional status. Longer-term studies are needed to evaluate the durability of these effects.

Protein Consumption and Cognitive Health in Aging: Associations with Sarcopenia and Dietary Options, a Narrative Review. McCarthy D, Berg A. Nutrients. 2026 Jul 2;18(13):2148.

• The growing aging population is a primary driver of chronic, long-term health conditions. The rising prevalence of cognitive decline in older populations is a pressing public health issue due to its impact on health and social care and its emotional toll on family members.
• A lesser-known condition is sarcopenia-the age-related debilitating loss of skeletal muscle mass and function which leads to weakness and loss of mobility, quality of life and social independence. Neither health condition has a clear pharmacological treatment pathway. Diet and nutrition have therefore received the most attention for disease prevention.
• This review evaluates the research on the association between sarcopenia and cognitive decline and how both conditions may be linked to protein intake.
• While findings can be inconclusive or contradictory, a higher consumption of protein may protect against declines in physical and cognitive health, either acting separately or synergistically with exercise. The evidence supports the recommendation for a daily intake of protein higher than the current guideline of 0.8 g/kg/d for older people.
• Evidence suggests that healthy dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean diet appear to positively influence cognitive health in older people. Furthermore, the impact of specific high-protein foods, including egg, soy and dairy foods, on cognitive health has been reviewed, again with a suggestion that their consumption may mitigate against cognitive decline.
• Functional foods aimed at the aging population who wish to increase their protein intake and avert or delay the onset of these health conditions could play an important role in preventive nutrition, especially if they are formulated around the protein-rich foods which appear to positively impact cognitive health.

Impact of Milk Fat Globule Membrane and Its Associated Polar Lipids on Markers of Cardiometabolic Disease and Cognitive Function: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials in Adults. Borkar A, Todorova Y, Markey O. Adv Nutr. 2026 Jul 25:100694.

• Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) and its associated milk polar lipids (MPLs) are bioactive components of dairy fat with emerging relevance for cardiometabolic and cognitive health.
• This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effects of bovine-derived MFGM/MPL on fasting and postprandial cardiometabolic disease risk markers and cognitive function in disease-free adults, compared with isoenergetic dairy products or supplements low in these components.
• Of 730 records screened, 13 studies (14 articles) met inclusion criteria (RoB: low to some concerns). Pooled analyses demonstrated that 2 to 16 wk of MFGM/MPL intake (19.8-5000 mg/d) reduced fasting total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein B concentrations, and the total cholesterol:high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ratio, with low heterogeneity (I²= 0%-9%) and moderate certainty of evidence.
• No clear effects were observed for fasting circulating HDL cholesterol, triacylglycerol, glucose, insulin, or blood pressure (low certainty). Evidence for emerging fasting cardiometabolic biomarkers, postprandial responses, and cognitive outcomes was limited and synthesized narratively.
• This review offers, to our knowledge, the strongest and most methodologically robust evidence to date that bovine-derived MFGM/MPL modestly improves atherogenic markers in adults, with implications for dietary guidance and future research.
• Limited data for novel biomarkers and cognitive outcomes highlight priorities for longer-term, adequately powered RCTs to clarify their broader health relevance.

Milk-delivered postbiotics from Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 modulate the gut microbiota-SCFA-immune axis in rats compared to probiotic delivery. Akan E, Yaylagul EO, Erbay Z, et al. Food Funct. 2026 Jul 24.

• Despite growing interest in postbiotics as stable alternatives to probiotics, their efficacy when delivered through food matrices and their integrated effects on the gut microbiota-metabolite-immune axis remain poorly understood.
• This study investigated whether postbiotic-enriched milk derived from Bifidobacterium animalislactis BB-12 can functionally modulate host-microbiota interactions in vivo, in comparison with probiotic milk and appropriate controls.
• Postbiotics, consisting of heat-inactivated bacterial cells and their metabolites, were generated by thermal inactivation (95 °C for 30 min) and incorporated into UHT milk at a level equivalent to cultures containing 10⁹CFU mL^-1 prior to heat inactivation.
• Following a 28-day intervention in healthy rats, gut microbiota composition, cecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and systemic immune parameters were comprehensively evaluated. Postbiotic delivery through a milk matrix selectively reshaped gut microbial composition without altering overall diversity, indicating targeted ecological modulation.
• Notably, postbiotics reduced Bacteroidota abundance and shifted the Bacillota/Bacteroidota ratio toward a more balanced profile, accompanied by enrichment of taxa associated with carbohydrate fermentation and microbial cross-feeding. These compositional changes translated into a significant increase in SCFA production, particularly butyrate (p< 0.05), highlighting enhanced metabolic functionality of the gut microbiota.
• Importantly, postbiotic supplementation induced a systemic immune shift toward a Th1-oriented response, with increased IFN-γ and IL-2 levels and reduced IL-4, IL-13, and IgE, alongside elevated IgA, IgG, and IgM concentrations. Spearman correlation analysis confirmed strong functional links connecting specific microbial shifts to both SCFA profiles and cytokine modulations.
• In several parameters, postbiotic milk exhibited comparable or superior effects relative to probiotic milk. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that food-delivered  lactisBB-12 postbiotics can reprogram the gut microbiota-SCFA-immune axis in vivo, supporting their potential as a stable, next-generation functional dairy strategy.

Fermentation Status Dictates Organ-Selective Protection of a Millet-Based Dairy Beverage Against Sub-Chronic Lead Toxicity in Rats. Ibrahim AA, Hafez HA, Aborhyem SM, Madian RA, Dyab N. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2026 Jul 30.

• Sub-chronic lead (Pb) exposure induces multi-organ toxicity through oxidative stress and inflammation. Dietary interventions have shown promise, but their effects are often organ nonspecific.
• This study investigated whether fermentation of a millet-based beverage could differentially direct its protective efficacy against Pb-induced injury in specific organs.
• Male Wistar rats were exposed to 1 ppm lead acetate in drinking water for 8 weeks and co-administered either: a fermented mix of skimmed milk and malted millet milk (F-Mix), fermented skimmed milk (FSM), or unfermented malted millet milk (UFMM).
• Hematological, hepatic, renal, inflammatory (TNF-α), hippocampal oxidative stress (Nrf2, GSH, SOD, CAT), acetylcholine, and histopathological parameters were assessed.
• Pb exposure significantly reduced hemoglobin, increased serum creatinine and BUN, elevated TNF-α, depleted hippocampal antioxidants, and impaired organ histology (p < 0.05 vs. control).
• Notably, UFMM attenuated Pb-induced hippocampal Nrf2 depletion by 63%, restored GSH by 71%, and preserved hepatic architecture with minimal necrosis. In contrast, F-Mix reduced serum TNF-α by 58% (p < 0.01 vs. Pb group), lowered creatinine by 44%, and BUN by 39%, with preserved renal tubular integrity.
• Fermented beverages (FSM and F-Mix) showed superior renal protection, while unfermented UFMM was more effective in liver and brain. Fermentation status critically redirects the organ-protective effects of millet-based beverages against Pb toxicity.
• Unfermented millet milk preferentially activates Nrf2-mediated antioxidant pathways in the brain and liver, while fermentation shifts protection toward the kidneys and systemic inflammation.
• These findings support the concept that food processing can be leveraged to design targeted nutritional interventions against heavy metal toxicity.

Innovation, Social Science, and Dairy Alternatives

Converting Food Waste into Value-Added Products: A Review on Current Technologies, Challenges, and Future Perspectives. Baiano A. Foods. 2026 Jul 22;15(14):2577.

• Food waste has emerged as one of the most pressing global sustainability challenges because of its environmental, economic, and social implications. Nearly one-third of the food produced worldwide is lost or wasted each year, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, depletion of natural resources, and increasing food insecurity.
• Advances in circular bioeconomy concepts and sustainable processing technologies have transformed food waste from an environmental liability into a valuable feedstock for producing biofuels, bioplastics, bioactive compounds, functional ingredients, prebiotics, and other high-value products.
• This review critically examines current strategies for converting food waste into value-added products, including green extraction technologies and biochemical, thermochemical, enzymatic, and microbial approaches. Attention is given to major agri-food by-products, such as fruit pomace, vegetable residues, oilseed meals, dairy by-products, and agro-industrial wastes.
• Emerging developments involving biorefinery concepts, artificial intelligence, digital biorefineries, synthetic biology, and carbon-neutral production systems are also discussed. Furthermore, the review highlights recent applications of waste-derived fibers, antioxidants, and polyphenols in functional foods, especially bakery products.
• Finally, key challenges related to feedstock heterogeneity, process scalability, regulatory frameworks, economic feasibility, and sustainability assessment are critically analyzed together with future research directions supporting the transition toward resilient circular bioeconomy systems.

Food processing must evolve to solve global challenges. Schottroff F, Mitrano DM, Hartmann C, et al. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2026 Jul 18:1-25.

• Humans have continuously evolved the agrifood system to achieve adequate, safe, nutritious and, more recently, sustainable food supplies. Industrialization introduced modern farming equipment, food factories, and global distribution networks, substantially increasing production while improving safety, access and resource efficiency. Despite these advances, agrifood systems remain major contributors to environmental pressures and sometimes produce food of low nutritional value.
• Consequently, food systems must evolve to reflect and balance changing consumer needs and priorities, technological progress, and planetary boundaries to ensure adequate nutrition for a growing and diverse population.
• As a central element of the agrifood chain, advancements in food processing can better align products with these goals. Drawing on insights from 1) population dynamics, needs and preferences, 2) food production and processing, and 3) impacts of food on healthy diets, this perspective examines how food processing can support nutritious, safe, and affordable diets while building resilience across the food system.
• Food processing is not an isolated technical activity, but a strategic interface through which upstream drivers (e.g., demographic change, agricultural variability) are translated into downstream outcomes (e.g., nutritional quality, consumer acceptance).
• Collectively, this perspective delivers an interdisciplinary reflection on the challenges food systems face and contextualizes how these elements influence meeting global food demands.

Production of Vitamin K2 Enriched Dairy Cream by Bacillus subtilis Natto Fermentation. Moharampour H, Azadmard-Damirchi S, Farjnia S, et al. Food Sci Nutr. 2026 Jul 17;14(7):e72119.

• Foods containing suitable amounts of vitamin K2 and nattokinase have several positive health effective properties.
• Therefore, in the present research, dairy cream was used as a widely consumed food product for fermentation with Bacillus subtilis natto(BSN) to introduce a new dairy product to the consumers.
• For this purpose, pasteurized dairy cream (30% fat) was inoculated with BSN and fermented at different temperatures (30°C and 37°C) and incubation times (12, 24, and 36 h) before being stored at refrigeration temperature (4°C).
• The fermented cream samples were evaluated for protein, ammonium content, protease activity, pH, acidity, nattokinase activity, vitamin K2 (menaquinone-4, menaquinone-7), and total microbial count during the process.
• The optimal fermentation conditions were found to be at 30°C for 24 h, during which the content of menaquinone-4 (MK-4) and menaquinone-7 (MK-7) increased from 10.92 to 142.27 ng/g and from 4.10 to 43.93 ng/g, respectively. Moreover, fermentation of cream with BSN led to a significant reduction in free ammonium (from 186.84 to 128.36 mg/100 g), and a pronounced increase in protease activity (from 0.003 to 0.328) in the optimum sample.
• Additionally, all cream samples inoculated with BSN showed a significant reduction (p< 0.05) in total microbial counts throughout the storage period. Sensory evaluation revealed that fermentation did not cause any undesirable properties in the prepared samples compared to the control sample.
• These findings demonstrate that BSN fermentation is an effective strategy to convert plain dairy cream into a functional product enriched with vitamin K2 and nattokinase, offering a promising innovation for the dairy industry.

Biomimetic Mammary Gland Organoid-on-a-Chip for Producing Selected Human Milk Components. Lin X, Cheng Y, Zhao Y, et al. Research (Wash D C). 2026 Jul 17;9:1356.

• Milk is an essential nutritional source for human health, yet developing efficient and sustainable indoor dairy production systems to produce milk-associated components remains a major challenge.
• Here, researchers propose a biomimetic mammary gland-on-a-chip system that recapitulates both the structural features and lactation mechanism of the mammary gland for producing milk-associated bioactive components.
• The chip is designed with a medium channel providing circulation, an intermediate porous hydrogel layer for substance diffusion, and highly specialized microchambers for culturing mammary epithelial cells.
• The mammary gland-on-a-chip enables tight-junction formation and active secretion of milk bioactive components such as lactotransferrin and triglycerides. More importantly, by expanding the microchambers and parallelizing the chips, increased collection of partial milk-like secretions containing selected bioactive components was achieved.
• This work represents the successful development of a robust microphysiological system as a potential in vitro platform for mammary gland research and is promising in addressing future food and environmental crises.

Co-Production of Mycoprotein, Carotenoids, and B Vitamins From Cheese Whey by Neurospora intermedia. Dianatdar F, Etemadifar Z, Taherzadeh MJ. J Food Sci. 2026 Jul;91(7):e71294.

• Cheese whey, a nutrient-rich dairy byproduct that requires management due to its high organic load, was valorized using an integrated biorefinery platform with the edible fungus Neurospora intermedia to simultaneously produce mycoprotein, carotenoids, and B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6).
• Initial optimization employed a one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) approach to evaluate the effects of whey concentration, initial pH, KNO₃, salt supplementation, trace elements, precursor, and pellet-inducing agents (CaCl₂, glycerol, and Tween 80). Subsequent optimization via response surface methodology (RSM) revealed the limitations of OFAT analysis and identified optimal conditions for targeted outputs.
• Maximum biomass yield (7.8 g/L) was achieved at high whey concentration (40 g/L) and low pH (pH 4), whereas maximum nutrient yields, 249.96 µg/g carotenoids, 1.46 mg/g B1, 7.17 mg/g B2, 0.41 mg/g B3, and 1.2 mg/g B6, were attained at low whey concentration (10 g/L) and low pH (pH 4).
• These conditions also minimized pellet size to 2 mm, enhancing metabolite production. The process concurrently reduced whey's chemical oxygen demand by 25.8% and demonstrated high biosorption of metal ions (76.8% Ca, 69.9% Mg, 80.8% Fe, 62.5% K). CHNS mass balance analysis revealed carbon (19.8%), hydrogen (18.9%), nitrogen (40.3%), and sulfur (42.5%) transfer efficiencies from cheese whey to N. intermedia biomass, with a 2.24-fold nitrogen enrichment (from 2.69% to 6.04%) corresponding to 37.8% crude protein and atomic ratios of C/N (7.84), N/S (36.2), H/C (1.85), and C/O (≈1.15).
• This study demonstrates the effective biorefining of whey into valuable products using RSM. This approach allows for the targeted production of high-volume mycoprotein, nutrient-dense extracts, or specific fungal morphology.

Prices and cost drivers of alternatives to animal-source foods: a scoping review and narrative analysis. Nordhagen S, Beal T, Sokourenko K, et al. Lancet Planet Health. 2026 Jul 17:101485.

• Animal-source foods (ASFs) have long been a central part of human diets; however, their consumption in many countries has come under increased scrutiny in recent years due to their large environmental impacts, negative health effects associated with certain ASFs, excessive antibiotic use in livestock systems, and animal welfare issues.
• This review examines the pricing and cost drivers of alternatives to animal-source foods (Alt-ASFs).
• Through systematic searches, researchers identified 76 eligible studies. Traditional, unprocessed or minimally processed plant-based foods, such as legumes, are relatively low cost across contexts. However, most other Alt-ASFs are not cost-competitive with conventional animal products.
• Plant-based dairy and meat analogues come closest to price parity with their animal-based equivalents, with average price ratios of 1·81-2·04, while insect prices vary widely by product type and context. Projected cell-based meat prices range from slightly lower to several times higher than conventional meat prices.
• Research shows a strong geographical bias towards high-income western countries, with less coverage of low-income and middle-income regions except for traditional insect-based foods. Promoting legumes and related plant-based foods, such as tofu, could offer a viable approach to reducing animal-source food consumption in high-consumption settings without requiring further price reductions.
• However, scaling other Alt-ASFs will require substantial cost reductions through technological advances, particularly for cell-based and algae-based products, or policy-level approaches, such as subsidy reform, true-cost pricing, or carbon taxes.