Dairy Research Bulletin: Selected Articles from March 2025 - California Dairy Research Foundation

Environmental Management and Sustainability

Holobiome Harmony: Linking Environmental Sustainability, Agriculture, and Human Health for a Thriving Planet and One Health. García G, Carlin M, Cano RJ. Microorganisms. 2025;13(3):514.

The holobiome is an interconnected network of microbial ecosystems spanning soil, plants, animals, humans, and the environment. Microbial interactions drive nutrient cycling, pathogen suppression, and climate regulation. Soil microbiomes facilitate carbon sequestration and enhance soil fertility, while marine microbiomes contribute to carbon capture and climate stability.
However, industrial agriculture, extensive herbicide use, antibiotic overuse, and climate change threaten microbial diversity, leading to ecosystem and health disruptions.
Probiotic interventions help to restore microbial balance. In human health, probiotics support gut microbiota diversity, reduce inflammation, and regulate metabolism. In agriculture, soil probiotics enhance microbial diversity, improve nutrient cycling, and degrade contaminants, increasing crop yields and soil health. Case studies show that microbial inoculants effectively remediate degraded soils and enhance nutrient uptake.
Artificial intelligence is transforming microbiome research by enabling predictive modeling, precision probiotic design, and microbial consortia optimization. Interdisciplinary collaboration and supportive policies are essential for restoring microbial equilibria, ensuring ecosystem resilience, and promoting long-term sustainability.
The integration of artificial intelligence, clinical research, and sustainable practices is crucial for advancing holobiome science. The holobiome framework underscores the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to address global challenges, bridging environmental sustainability, agriculture, and public health for a resilient future.

Microalgal-bacterial system responses to nitrogen forms in dairy farm wastewater: focusing on the phycosphere and nitrogen transformation. Cao Y, Xu X, Zhang K, et al. Environ Res. 2025 Mar 21:121451.

As an environmentally friendly medium, microalgae are often used in wastewater treatment. However, few studies have examined the effects of different nitrogen forms on microalgae and bacteria, particularly regarding material and gene transfer and nitrogen metabolic pathways in phycosphere and various extracellular polymeric substance layers.
To address this research gap, Chlorella vulgaris was used to treat the dairy farm wastewater with different nitrogen additives.
The results showed that the dry weight and chlorophyll a production were lowest at high ammonia nitrogen concentrations (0.460 g/L and 0.883 mg/L, respectively). The ability of microalgae to remove total phosphorus and ammonia nitrogen was significantly enhanced at appropriate nitrogen concentrations.
There were clear differences in community abundance between phycosphere and different extracellular polymeric substance layers bacteria. Nitrate nitrogen promoted electron transfer in photosynthesis, while organic nitrogen facilitated the synthesis of siderophores.
In high-ammonia nitrogen wastewater, ammonia nitrogen conversion primarily occurred through the action of nitrifying bacteria, whereas denitrification promoted nitrate nitrogen conversion. There is an interaction between nitrogen forms and microalgal-bacterial system.
The study provided critical insights for microalgae treatment of dairy farm wastewater, contributing to environmental friendly and resource recycling wastewater management.

Simple synthesis and excellent performance of the cow dung-based biodegradable liquid mulch for sustainable agriculture. Guo X, Zhou Y, Xie X, et al. Environ Res. 2025 Mar 4;274:121270.

The environmental pollution caused by the extensive use of plastic films in farmland and the discharge of large amounts of manure from animal husbandry has seriously affected the sustainable development of global agriculture and environment.
In this study, using cow manure as raw material, a cow dung-based biodegradable liquid mulch (CD-BA) was synthesized through grafting polymerization and as an eco-friendly alternative to the traditional agricultural plastic film.
By studying the effects of the proportion of cow manure raw materials and additives on the performance of liquid plastic film, the optimal CD-BA was synthesized with 48.36 wt% of cow dung, 26.77 wt% of glycerol and 2.08 wt% of quartz sand (red soil), respectively.
The soil test results indicate that CD-BA has the capability to reduce soil water evaporation by 15%-42%, which is marginally lower than the 67% reduction observed with plastic mulch. Its temperature-increasing capacity ranges from 0.63 °C to 1.21 °C, which is comparable to the capacity of plastic mulch.
Moreover, CD-BA achieves a soil degradation rate of 41.2%-69.5% within 120 days, significantly addressing the persistent non-degradability issue associated with traditional plastic mulch.
In plant experiments, CD-BA demonstrated a 97.5% inhibition rate on weed seed germination, whereas CD-BA positively influenced crop growth and its drought resistance.
This study provides a feasible resource utilization method for simultaneously solving the environmental pollution problems of animal breeding waste and farmland plastic film.

A Review of the Valorization of Dairy Industry Wastes through Thermochemical, Biological, and Integrated Processes for Value-Added Products. Udourioh GA, Solomon MM, Okolie JA. Food Sci Anim Resour. 2025 Mar;45(2):375-408.

The dairy industry is a significant player in the food industry, providing essential products such as milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, and milk powder to meet the global population’s needs. However, the industry’s activities have resulted in significant pollution, with heavy waste generation, disposal, and effluent emissions into the environment.
Properly handling dairy waste residues is a major challenge, with up to 60% of the total treatment cost in the processing unit allocated to waste management. Therefore, valorizing dairy waste into useful products presents a significant advantage for the dairy industry.
Numerous studies have proposed various approaches to convert dairy waste into useful products, including thermochemical, biological, and integrated conversion pathways.
This review presents an overview of these approaches and identifies the best possible method for valorizing dairy waste and by-products.
The research presents up-to-date information on the recovery of value-added products from dairy waste, such as biogas, biofertilizers, biopolymers, and biosurfactants, with a focus on integrating technology for environmental sustainability. Furthermore, the obstacles and prospects in dairy waste valorization have been presented.
This review is a valuable resource for developing and deploying dairy waste valorization technologies, and it also presents research opportunities in this field.

Network analyses unraveled the complex interactions in the rumen microbiota associated with methane emission in dairy cattle. Ye X, Sahana G, Lund MS, Li B, Cai Z. Anim Microbiome. 2025 Mar 11;7(1):24.

Methane emissions from livestock, particularly from dairy cattle, represent a significant source of greenhouse gas, contributing to the global climate crisis. Understanding the complex interactions within the rumen microbiota that influence methane emissions is crucial for developing effective mitigation strategies.
This study employed Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis to investigate the complex interactions within the rumen microbiota that influence methane emissions.
By integrating extensive rumen microbiota sequencing data with precise methane emission measurements in 750 Holstein dairy cattle, this research identified distinct microbial communities and their associations with methane production.
Key findings revealed that the blue module from network analysis was significantly correlated (0.45) with methane emissions. In this module, taxa included the genera Prevotella and Methanobrevibactor, along with species such as Prevotella brevis, Prevotella ruminicola, Prevotella baroniae, Prevotella bryantii, Lachnobacterium bovis, and Methanomassiliicoccus luminyensis are the key components to drive the complex networks.
The application of Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis provided a comprehensive understanding of the microbiota-methane emission relationship, serving as an innovative approach for microbiota-phenotype association studies in cattle.
These findings underscore the importance of microbiota-trait and microbiota-microbiota associations related to methane emission in dairy cattle, contributing to a systematic understanding of methane production in cattle. This research offers key information on microbial management for mitigating environmental impact on the cattle population.

The Use of Natural Sorbents in Cow Feed to Reduce Gaseous Air Pollutants and Fecal Biogenic Compounds. Nowakowicz-Dębek B, Ospałek W, et al. Animals (Basel). 2025 Feb 22;15(5):643.

The implementation of new technologies and best practices on factory farms is crucial for reducing the environmental pollution burden.
This study aimed to evaluate the use of natural sorbents in the cows’ diet to reduce gaseous pollutants released on the farm and the content of fecal biogenic compounds.
To this end, a mixture of natural sorbents (65% beechwood biochar, 25% aluminosilicate, and 10% glycerin) was added to cows’ feed. Pollutants released from all groups of cows were continually monitored on the farm during the experiment. Blood samples were also collected from the cows for hematological and biochemical analysis to determine the sorbents’ impact on their health.
The average level of gaseous pollutants in the air on the farm were highest in the control group and lowest in the experimental groups. The levels of NH₃, CH₄, and H₂S were statistically significant at p< 0.05.
The results demonstrated that the added sorbents effectively reduced gaseous pollutants without adversely affecting the health of cows. Natural additives in the cows’ diet, including sorbents, bind harmful substances such as NH₃and CH₄, which are common gaseous by-products of digestion. This leads to improvements in animal welfare and the natural environment.

Animal Health and Food Safety

Breed-Specific Responses and Ruminal Microbiome Shifts in Dairy Cows Under Heat Stress. Wang Z, Guo M, Mao Y, et al. Animals (Basel). 2025 Mar 13;15(6):817.

Holstein and Jersey cows, as excellent dairy breeds, have their own advantages in milk yield, milk quality, disease resistance, and heat resistance. However, the adaptability and rumen microbiome changes in Holstein and Jersey cows under heat stress are not clear.
Therefore, the main objective of this study was to compare the differences in heat tolerance and the changes in the ruminal microbiome in Holstein and Jersey cows under heat stress.
The experiment comprised a 7-day thermo-neutral period and a 7-day heat stress period. Five Jersey cows and five Holstein cows with similar parity and days in milk were selected, and rumen fluid was collected from five of them each.
Compared with the thermo-neutral period, heat stress increased the respiratory rate, whereas decreased the milk yield in the Holstein and Jersey cows. Also, heat stress increased the rectal temperature in the Holstein cows.
Jersey cows had a significantly lower level of acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, and total volatile fatty acids during heat stress compared with the thermo-neutral period. Furthermore, high-throughput sequencing revealed that the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and Prevotella increased while the relative abundance of Firmicutes decreased in Holstein cows during the heat stress period, whereas Christensenellaceae and Clostridium were more abundant in Jersey cows during the HS period than in the thermos-neutral period.
Simultaneously, the dominant fungi in Holstein cows were Ascomycota, Neocallimastigomycota, and Aspergillus.
Correlation analysis also provided a link between the significantly altered rumen microbiota and animal production. These results suggest that heat stress has negatively influenced the physiological parameters, milk production, and rumen microbiota of Holstein and Jersey cows. Changes in the rumen fermentation and ruminal microbiome in Holstein cows may be associated with a better adaptation ability to heat stress.
These findings may inform future research to better understand how heat stress affects the physiology and productivity of dairy cattle breeding and the development of mitigation strategies.

Changes in fecal microbiota of dairy cows with and without endometritis. Shi ZH, Lan YL, Deng TX, et al. BMC Vet Res. 2025 Mar 25;21(1):201.

Endometritis is a uterine infection caused by bacterial pathogens and has detrimental effects on productive and reproductive performance in dairy cows. A large number of studies have demonstrated the association of gut microbiota with infectious diseases. However, the role of gut microbiota in dairy cows with endometritis is still poorly understood.
In the present study, researchers characterized the fecal microbial populations in the dairy cows suffering from metritis (n = 10) and healthy cows (n = 9) using the 16 S rRNA gene sequencing.
Results revealed an increased abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes in the affected cows indicating the potential role of these two bacterial taxa in the pathogenesis of endometritis.
The Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005 was the predominant genus while Olsenella and Succinivibrio were the most abundant genera in the cows affected with metritis. Further, the association of specific genera from Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes indicated three co-occurrence groups indicating the potential interaction of these genera in modulating the immune response, dysbiosis and inflammatory reaction.
In addition, a significantly higher abundance of genes involved in the excretory system was observed in affected cows.
These findings provide evidence of changes in gut microbiota composition in cows suffering from metritis and advocate the need to explore the effect of commensal gut bacteria specifically co-occurring taxa in uterine inflammation and infection.

UC Davis Research – In-laboratory inactivation of H5N1 in raw whole milk through milk acidification: Results from a pilot study. Crossley BM, Miramontes CC, Rejmanek D, Gallardo R, Pereira R. J Dairy Sci. 2025 Mar;108(3):2264-2275.

Avian Influenza virus H5N1 2.3.4.4.b has recently been detected in cattle, with milk from infected animals reported to contain a high viral load, serving as a potential source for shedding and dissemination of this virus.
Currently, pasteurization is the only widely recognized method for on-farm inactivation of H5N1 in milk. A current concern is that according to USDA data, less than 50% of large dairy farms pasteurize nonsaleable milk, with a much lower percentage occurring in medium and small dairy farms.
The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the effect of milk acidification to a pH of ∼0 to 4.4 and lactoperoxidase system (LP system) on the inactivation of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in raw whole milk.
Initial trials in this study used the LPAI H6N2 virus as a surrogate for HPAI H5N1. For the acidification trials, citric acid was used to acidify milk. For evaluation of milk acidification and LP system, milk samples were inoculated with LPAI H6N2, with samples collected before and after treatment at various times.
Evaluation of virus viability was conducted using specific-pathogen-free embryonated chicken eggs and viral quantification using real-time quantitative PCR. Three acidification experiments were conducted using milk spiked with LPAI H6N2. Given the positive outcome observed in the inactivation of LPAI with citric acid, a fourth trial was conducted with milk containing a high load of H5N1 originating from actively infected cows.
These results indicated that milk acidification with a pH between 4.1 and 4.2 resulted in the inactivation of LPAI H6N2 and HPAI H5N1 virus in milk after 6 hours of treatment. Milk treatment with the LP system was not effective for the inactivation of the H6N2 virus, and no further trials were conducted for this treatment option.
This is the first study reporting the effectiveness of milk acidification for the inactivation of HPAI H5N1 in milk originating from animals infected with H5N1. Milk acidification is an effective, accessible, and easy-to-use alternative to milk pasteurization, and future studies should evaluate the on-farm effectiveness of acidification of nonsaleable milk to inactivate H5N1.

Superior replication, pathogenicity, and immune evasion of a Texas dairy cattle H5N1 virus compared to a historical avian isolate. Octaviani CP, Huang P, Bi-Hung P, Gray GC, Tseng CK. Sci Rep. 2025 Mar 14;15(1):8797.

The current outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses of the H5N1 subtype clade 2.3.4.4b in dairy cattle in the United States has affected nearly 900 dairy farms and resulted in at least 39 human infections, putting health authorities and the scientific community on high alert.
Here researchers characterize the virus growth properties and host-pathogen interactions of an isolate obtained from a sick dairy cow in Texas in vitro and in vivo and compare it to an older HPAI isolate.
Despite so far being associated with mild disease in human patients, the cattle H5N1 virus showed superior growth capability and rapid replication kinetics in a panel of human lung cell lines in vitro.
In vivo, cattle H5N1 exhibited more intense pathogenicity in mice, with rapid lung pathology and high virus titers in the brain, accompanied by high mortality after challenge via different inoculation routes.
Additionally, the cattle H5N1 demonstrated efficient antagonism of overexpressed RIG-I- and MDA5-mediated innate antiviral signaling pathways.
In summary, this study demonstrates the profound pathogenicity and suggests a potential innate immune escape mechanism of the H5N1 virus isolated from a dairy cow in Texas.

Human Cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) – California, September-December 2024. Zhu S, Harriman K, Murray EL, et al; Los Angeles County H5 Response Team; California Department of Public Health H5 Laboratory Response Team. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2025 Mar 13;74(8):127-133.

Persons who work closely with dairy cows, poultry, or other animals with suspected or confirmed infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) viruses are at increased risk for infection.
In September 2024, the California Department of Public Health was notified of the first human case of HPAI A(H5N1) in California through monitoring of workers on farms with infected cows.
During September 30-December 24, 2024, a total of 38 persons received positive test results for HPAI A(H5N1) viruses in California; 37 were dairy farm workers with occupational exposure to sick cows, and one was a child aged <18 years with an undetermined exposure, the first pediatric HPAI A(H5N1) case reported in the United States.
All patients had mild illness. The identification of cases associated with occupational exposure to HPAI A(H5N1) viruses on dairy farms highlights the continued risk for persons who work with infected animals. The pediatric case was identified through routine surveillance.
Given recent increases in the prevalence of HPAI A(H5N1) viruses among some animal populations, public health agencies should continue to investigate cases of HPAI A(H5N1) in humans as part of control measures, pandemic preparedness, to identify concerning genetic changes, and to prevent and detect potential human-to-human transmission of the virus.

Dietary exposure and risk assessment of plastic particles in cow’s milk stored in various packaging materials. Binelli A, Tognetto M, Magni S, et al. J Hazard Mater. 2025 Mar 25;492:138052.

Food packaging is a crucial step in the storage of many food products, but it raises several concerns related to the materials used in its production. Among these, various types of plastic particles are commonly used in food containers, posing a risk of migration into food. One of them frequently stored in different types of packaging is cow’s milk.
Despite its nutritional significance, very limited data are available on the occurrence of plastic contaminants in milk, and no study has investigated the influence of packaging type.
To partially address this gap, the present study aimed to compare the quantity and types of plastic particles detected in 11 different cow’s milk samples stored in multilayer containers, PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles, and glass bottles. In addition to a qualitative and quantitative comparison, researchers assessed dietary plastic intake and conducted a risk assessment based on quantitative and qualitative indices.
The main findings revealed that milk stored in multilayer packaging contained a higher amount of plastic than milk stored in PET or glass bottles.
Quantitative indices for risk assessment confirmed these differences, while the qualitative one highlighted that the presence of “unconventional” polymers increased the potential hazard for milk stored in PET and glass packaging.

Study of fibrous microplastic and natural microfiber levels in branded milk samples from Italy. Santonicola S, Volgare M, Cocca M, Colavita G. Ital J Food Saf. 2025 Mar 26.

Presently, there is no evidence regarding the microfiber (MF) occurrence and abundance in branded milk samples from Italy.
Therefore, a total of 20 milk samples from 5 brands were collected and analyzed using a digestion step with hydrogen peroxide followed by filtration.
Natural and synthetic MFs were classified according to the evaluation of surface morphology (i.e., shape and texture), followed by chemical identification using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) microspectroscopy.
Results revealed the occurrence of MFs in 67.5% of the analyzed samples and showed variability ranging between 1-27 particles/100 mL with an overall average of 3.85 MFs/100 mL. The FTIR analyses confirmed the presence of polyethylene, polyester, acrylic, and cellulosic MFs.
According to the literature, the contamination of milk may occur at various stages along the production chain. The blood-milk barrier would prevent MFs from being transferred across the mammary gland into the milk.
The highest MF levels found in ultra-high temperature skimmed milk of some brands may indicate the more complex the processing of milk, the more MFs they contain. However, due to the different MF types and polymers, an unambiguous conclusion on MF sources cannot be made.
MFs could be shed from the filters used in the milk processing factories and the protective clothing for workers. Therefore, the MF contamination should be properly investigated along the entire supply chain, identifying the sources of contamination and implementing control strategies and mitigation measures.

Nutrition and Health

Regular-fat and low-fat dairy foods and cardiovascular diseases: Perspectives for future dietary recommendations. Lamarche B, Astrup A, Kok FJ, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2025 Mar 13:S0002-9165(25)00137-6.

Most current dietary guidelines for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) recommend the consumption of low-fat dairy in place of regular-fat dairy foods, one of the main sources of dietary saturated fatty acids (SFAs).
Here, researchers summarize the data presented and discussions held – relating to the validity of such recommendations – between a panel of international nutrition research experts at a high-level closed workshop on ‘Saturated Fat in Dairy and Cardiovascular Diseases’, which took place in Amsterdam on 15-16 April 2024.
The most recent evidence indicates that overall, consumption of milk, yogurt and cheese, irrespective of fat content, is neutrally associated with CVD risk.
There is also no evidence yet from randomized controlled trials that consumption of regular-fat milk, yogurt and cheese has different effects on a broad array of cardiometabolic risk factors when compared to consumption of low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese.
Thus, the body of evidence does not support differentiation between regular-fat and low-fat dairy foods in dietary guidelines for both adults and children. Strategies focusing primarily on reduction of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods, the main source of SFAs in Western diets, rather than on the fat content of dairy foods, are more likely to benefit the population’s cardiovascular health.
Future research is needed to understand better the place of regular-fat and low-fat dairy foods within healthy eating patterns.

The effect of fermented dairy intake and abdominal obesity in adults: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of cohort studies. Hashemi Javaheri FS, Nasiri Jounaghani M, Mirdar Harijani A, et al. Eat Weight Disord. 2025 Mar 7;30(1):23.

Diverse analysis has analyzed the potential efficacy of consuming foods created through the fermentation of dairy in mitigating abdominal obesity.
The current meta-analysis aims to determine the impacts of consuming fermented dairy foods and the occurrence of abdominal obesity.
Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus databases were queried for records published before January 13, 2023, to investigate proportionate cohort studies. Researchers employed a random-effects model to appraise the relative risk (RR). Additionally, a one-stage dose-response analysis was executed.
Five publications, comprising 41,430 cases, were included as selected studies. The pooled effect shows an effect on the abdominal obesity risk; however, the effect was not significant.
Subgroup analyses revealed a potential risk reduction effect in high- and low-fat and fermented dairy productions, although the findings were not statistically significant.
Furthermore, the dose-response analysis indicated a linear decrease in risk with increasing consumption of high-fat fermented yogurt, with an HR of 0.84 by 8 servings/week and an HR of 0.37 by 21 servings/week.
These findings imply the potential effectiveness of fermented dairy products, particularly high-fat yogurt, in diminishing the obesity risk. However, further research addressing the limitations of previous studies is essential to confirm these results.

The Impact of Fermented Dairy Products and Probiotics on Bone Health Improvement. Bashir HH, Hasnain MA, Abbas A, Lee JH, Moon GS. Food Sci Anim Resour. 2025 Mar;45(2):449-467.

The bone is an important body organ due to its role in locomotion, protection and mineral homeostasis. Bone health is affected by various intrinsic and extrinsic factors like genetics, diet, environment and immune status of an individual.
Being a dynamic organ, bones are continuously being remodeled and the remodeling is mediated by an intricate balance of bone formation and resorption which, in turn, are regulated by environmental, genetic, hormonal and neural factors. Lack of balance in any of these factors leads to bone disorders such as osteoporosis.
Fermented dairy products along with their probiotics content play a significant role in bone remodeling process ensuring the maintenance of intricate balance in bone forming cells (osteoblasts) and bone resorbing cells (osteoclasts). Proteins and various minerals are important constituents of bone.
Dairy products, especially fermented ones, are significant because of being a good source of proteins and minerals required to make and maintain a healthy bone. In addition, these provide the body with probiotics which are involved in bone health improvement by enhancing the bioavailability of dietary constituents, production of short chain fatty acids and reducing the inflammatory components.
Hence, fermented dairy products should be a regular part of our diet to keep our bone healthy.

Dietary whey protein protects against Crohn’s disease by orchestrating cross-kingdom interaction between the gut phageome and bacteriome. Su R, Wen W, Zuo T, et al. Gut. 2025 Mar 23:gutjnl-2024-334516.

The gut microbiome and diet are important factors in the pathogenesis and management of Crohn’s disease (CD). However, the role of the gut phageome under dietary influences is unknown.
In this study, researchers explore the effect of diet on the gut phageome-bacteriome interaction linking to CD protection.
The researchers recruited CD patients and healthy subjects (n=140) and conducted a multiomics investigation, including paired ileal mucosa phageome and bacteriome profiling, dietary survey and phenome interrogation.
The subjects were screened for the effect of diet on the gut phageome and bacteriome, as well as its epidemiological association with CD risks. The underlying mechanisms were explored in target phage-bacteria monocultures and cocultures in vitro and in two mouse models in vivo.
On dietary screening in humans, whey protein (WP) consumption was found to profoundly impact the gut phageome and bacteriome (more pronounced on the phageome) and was associated with a lower CD risk.
Indeed, the WP reshaped gut phageome can causally attenuate intestinal inflammation, as shown by faecal phageome versus bacteriome transplantation from WP-consuming versus WP-non-consuming mice to recipient mice.
Mechanistically, WP induced phage (a newly isolated phage AkkZT003P herein) lysis of the mucin-foraging bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila, which unleashed the symbiotic bacterium Streptococcus thermophilusto counteract intestinal inflammation.
This study charted the importance of cross-kingdom interaction between gut phage and bacteria in mediating the dietary effect on CD protection. Importantly, the researchers uncovered a beneficial dietary WP, a keystone phage AkkZT003P, and a probiotic thermophilusthat can be used in CD management in the future.

Bugs got milk? Exploring the potential of lactose as a prebiotic ingredient for the human gut microbiota of lactose-tolerant individuals. Pessotti RC, Guerville M, Sivieri K, et al. Nutr Res. 2025 Mar 1;136:64-80.

Milk consumption is important to help meet daily nutrient requirements. However, lactose-present in dairy products-has been associated with digestive discomfort in individuals who are lactose intolerant or have inadequate lactase activity.
Yet, a new perspective on this dietary component has emerged: its potential as a prebiotic for the lactose-tolerant population.
Researchers hypothesized that ingestion of lactose may improve the microbial community structure and metabolism of the gut microbiota from healthy adults.
First, they assessed the acute impact of lactose ingestion on the gut microbiota of adults using a short-duration in vitro batch colonic model. Subsequently, they employed a long-duration in vitro dynamic multivessel colonic model to evaluate the effects of lactose chronic ingestion.
In both cases, a mixture of lactose/galactose/glucose was administered in a defined proportion to mimic lactose metabolism and galactose/glucose absorption in lactose-tolerant adults.
The hypothesis was confirmed, as a modulatory prebiotic effect was revealed on the microbial community structure and metabolism of the microbiota upon treatments simulating the ingestion of three doses of lactose, equivalent to half a glass, one glass, and two glasses of cow’s milk.
The long-duration model confirmed this potential, increasing the relative abundance of the beneficial genera Lactobacillus, Akkermansia, and Faecalibacterium, while the usually detrimental genus Clostridium decreased. Additionally, the health-promoting microbial metabolites acetate, propionate, and lactate were increased.
Therefore, lactose ingestion could positively modulate the gut microbiota in healthy lactose-tolerant adults, thereby promoting gut health and shedding light on the dietary benefits of consuming milk.

Diet, microbiome, and probiotics establish a crucial link in vaccine efficacy. Dutta S, Chatterjee N, Gallina NLF, Kar S, Koley H, Nanda PK, Biswas O, Das AK, Biswas S, Bhunia AK, Dhar P.Crit Rev Microbiol. 2025 Mar 20:1-26.

Vaccination plays a critical role in public health by reducing the incidence and prevalence of infectious diseases. The efficacy of a vaccine has numerous determinants, which include age, sex, genetics, environment, geographic location, nutritional status, maternal antibodies, and prior exposure to pathogens.
However, little is known about the role of gut microbiome in vaccine efficacy and how it can be targeted through dietary interventions to improve immunological responses. Unveiling this link is imperative, particularly in the post-pandemic world, considering impaired COVID-19 vaccine response observed in dysbiotic individuals.
Therefore, this article aims to comprehensively review how diet and probiotics can modulate gut microbiome composition, which is linked to vaccine efficacy.
Dietary fiber and polyphenolic compounds derived from plant-based foods improve gut microbial diversity and vaccine efficacy by promoting the growth of short-chain fatty acids-producing microbes. On the other hand, animal-based foods have mixed effects – whey protein and fish oil promote gut eubiosis and vaccine efficacy.
In contrast, lard and red meat have adverse effects. Studies further indicate that probiotic supplements exert varied effects, mostly strain and dosage-specific.
Interlinking diet, microbiome, probiotics, and vaccines will reveal opportunities for newer research on diet-induced microbiome-manipulated precision vaccination strategies against infectious diseases.

Optimal dietary patterns for healthy aging. Tessier AJ, Willett WC, Hu FB, Guasch-Ferré M, et al. Nat Med. 2025 Mar 24.

As the global population ages, it is critical to identify diets that, beyond preventing noncommunicable diseases, optimally promote healthy aging.
Here, using longitudinal questionnaire data from the Nurses’ Health Study (1986-2016) and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1986-2016), researchers examined the association of long-term adherence to eight dietary patterns and ultraprocessed food consumption with healthy aging, as assessed according to measures of cognitive, physical and mental health, as well as living to 70 years of age free of chronic diseases.
After up to 30 years of follow-up, 9,771 (9.3%) of 105,015 participants (66% women, mean age = 53 years) achieved healthy aging. For each dietary pattern, higher adherence was associated with greater odds of healthy aging and its domains.
The odds ratios for the highest quintile versus the lowest ranged from 1.45 (healthful plant-based diet) to 1.86 (Alternative Healthy Eating Index). When the age threshold for healthy aging was shifted to 75 years, the Alternative Healthy Eating Index diet showed the strongest association with healthy aging, with an odds ratio of 2.24.
Higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, nuts, legumes and low-fat dairy products were linked to greater odds of healthy aging, whereas higher intakes of trans fats, sodium, sugary beverages and red or processed meats (or both) were inversely associated.
These findings suggest that dietary patterns rich in plant-based foods, with moderate inclusion of healthy animal-based foods, may enhance overall healthy aging, guiding future dietary guidelines.

Innovation, Social Science, and Dairy Alternatives

Milk Exosome-Based Delivery System for Probiotic Encapsulation That Enhances the Gastrointestinal Resistance and Adhesion of Probiotics. Hao L, Liu Y, Szeto IM, Hao H, Zhang T, Liu T, Yi H. Nutrients. 2025 Mar 6;17(5):923.

The oral administration of probiotics is a promising strategy to regulate the host-intestinal flora balance and improve health. Nevertheless, adverse gastrointestinal (GI) conditions affect the activity of free native probiotics.
In this study, a novel probiotic encapsulation system based on milk exosomes (mExos) and DSPE-PEG-PBA was developed.
mExos acted as a shield to protect probiotics from harsh GI environments, and DSPE-PEG-PBA served as a bridge between mExos and probiotics.
The results showed three probiotics (Akkermansia muciniphila(AKK), Bifidobacterium animalis lactis BB-12 (BB12), and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Q7 (Q7)) were coated with mExos@DSPE-PEG-PBA, with encapsulation rates of 90.37 ± 0.45%, 84.47 ± 1.22%, and 70.93 ± 2.39%, respectively.
This encapsulation not only preserved the growth activity of the probiotics but also provided robust protection against the detrimental effects of acidic pH, bile salts, and digestive enzymes.
The encapsulated strains Q7, BB12, and AKK demonstrated survival rates of 80.99 ± 0.41%, 85.28 ± 0.20%, and 94.53 ± 0.26%, respectively, in an in vitro simulated GI environment. The mExos@DSPE-PEG-PBA-encapsulated probiotics exhibited enhanced hydrophobicity and auto-aggregation capacity, accompanied by a significant improvement in mucoadhesive properties, which collectively potentiated their colonization potential within the gastrointestinal tract.
These findings substantiate the potential of mExos as an encapsulation platform for probiotics, providing valuable insights into the selection of exosomes as encapsulating agents to enhance probiotic viability and mucoadhesive capacity.

Formulation strategies, texture improvement, and sensory perception of healthy ice cream: A review. Chang W, Li K, Qi X, Meng Z.Food Chem. 2025 Mar 24;481:144015.

The growing awareness of health issues and the increasing demand for specialized diets have driven consumer demand for healthier ice cream products. The high fat and sugar contents of traditional ice cream have raised health concerns, prompting researchers to seek alternative formulations that address the demand for low-fat, low-sugar, dairy-free, and functional creams.
This review examines the latest innovations in healthier ice cream formulations, with a focus on the use of fat replacers, sweeteners, dairy-free ingredients, and functional components.
This review also discusses how optimizing fat partial coalescence and controlling ice crystal recrystallization can help overcome texture deficiencies in the healthification process of ice cream.
Furthermore, this review highlights the application of oral tribology techniques, such as the creaminess of ice cream, in analyzing sensory attributes. Future research will continue to focus on balancing health benefits and sensory quality to meet evolving consumer expectations.

Meta-Analysis of Consumer Willingness to Pay for Short Food Supply Chain Products. Mustapa MAC, Kallas Z. Glob Chall. 2025;9(3):2400154.

Due to their perceived benefits for health, the environment, the economy, and sustainability, in recent years there has been a growing interest on the part of researchers and policymakers in short-food supply chains (SFSCs). However, a systematic review of the literature on this topic remains lacking.
To address this gap, the study conducts a meta-analysis to examine consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for SFSC products, taking into account various sociodemographic factors and sustainability attributes.
On average, consumers are willing to pay a 34.5% premium for SFSC products. Key factors influencing WTP include gender, education, study year, age, region, product category, and sustainability attributes.
Women exhibit higher WTP, and individuals with higher education levels also demonstrate increased WTP. Notably, WTP for SFSC products is lower before 2014, while younger consumers exhibit higher WTP overall. Consumers in Western Europe present higher WTP estimates compared to those in North America and other regions.
In terms of sustainability attributes, organic products receive the highest WTP, with food categories such as meat, poultry, dairy products, and honey showing the highest estimates.
These findings offer valuable insights for SFSC producers, marketers, and policymakers, guiding effective strategies to promote SFSC products within sustainable agri-food systems.

Metabolic insights of lactic acid bacteria in reducing off-flavors and antinutrients in plant-based fermented dairy alternatives. Molina GES, Ras G, da Silva DF, Duedahl-Olesen L, Hansen EB, Bang-Berthelsen CH. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2025 Mar;24(2):e70134

Multiple sensorial, technological, and nutritional challenges must be overcome when developing plant-based fermented dairy alternatives (PBFDA) to mimic their dairy counterparts. The elimination of plant-derived off-flavors (green, earthy, bitter, astringent) and the degradation of antinutrients are crucial quality factors highlighted by the industry for their effect on consumer acceptance.
The adaptation of plant-derived lactic acid bacteria (LAB) species into plant niches is relevant when developing starter cultures for PBFDA products due to their evolutionary acquired ability to degrade plant-based undesirable compounds (off-flavors and antinutrients).
Some plant-isolated species, such as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Limosilactobacillus fermentum, have been associated with the degradation of phytates, phenolic compounds, oxalates, and raffinose-family oligosaccharides (RFOs), whereas some animal-isolated species, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus strains, can metabolize phytates, RFOs, saponins, phenolic compounds, and oxalates.
Some proteolytic LAB strains, such as Lacticaseibacillus paracasei and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, have been characterized to degrade phytates, protease inhibitors, and oxalates. Other species have also been described regarding their abilities to biotransform phytic acid, RFOs, saponins, phenolic compounds, protease inhibitors, oxalates, and volatile off-flavor compounds (hexanal, nonanal, pentanal, and benzaldehyde).
In addition, researchers performed a blast analysis considering antinutrient metabolic genes (42 genes) to up to 5 strains of all qualified presumption of safety-listed LAB species (55 species, 240 strains), finding out potential genotypical capabilities of LAB species that have not conventionally been used as starter cultures such as Lactiplantibacillus pentosus, Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum, and Lactobacillus diolivorans for plant-based fermentations.
This review provides a detailed understanding of genes and enzymes from LAB that target specific compounds in plant-based materials for plant-based fermented food applications.

Can Plant-Based Cheese Substitutes Nutritionally and Sensorially Replace Cheese in Our Diet? Majhenič AČ, Levart A, Salobir J, Prevc T, Pajk Žontar T. Foods. 2025;14(5):771.

Plant-based substitutes for dairy products represent a rapidly developing market worldwide as they become increasingly popular with consumers.
This study aimed to determine the nutritional and sensory quality of ten plant-based cheese substitutes labelled ‘classic’/’original’ purchased on the Slovenian market.
The quality was checked using chemical and sensory analysis. When the results of chemical analysis were compared with the nutritional composition of a semi-hard type of cheese, the plant-based cheese substitutes differed greatly. On average, they contained 60 times less protein, 8 times less calcium and 50% more salt per 100 g of product.
Considering median values, plant-based substitutes had 200 times less protein, 40 times less calcium, and 58% more salt compared to cheeses.
The fatty acid composition was less favorable when compared to a regular semi-hard type of cheese: 50% more saturated fatty acids, almost five times less monounsaturated fatty acids, and only one third of the polyunsaturated fatty acids per 100 g of product, respectively, but no trans fatty acids.
Despite some sensory deficiencies (absence of eyes; crumbly, granular, and tough texture; discordant, fatty, and salty taste; foreign odor and pale color), the sensory quality in this product category was acceptable overall.
More research should be conducted in this area to minimize the knowledge gaps in the nutritional composition and sensory quality of plant-based cheese substitutes.

How Close Are We to the Production of Milk in Alternative Systems? The Fat Perspective. Tadmor-Levi R, Argov-Argaman N. Foods. 2025;14(5):809.

The growing demand for sustainable food systems has led to significant advancements in developing alternatives to animal-derived products. Dairy products are an important dietary source of proteins and fats; however, their production raises environmental concerns, including greenhouse gas emissions, extensive land and water usage, and biodiversity loss.
Therefore, there is a need to develop sustainable, scalable solutions that will enable the production of quality replacements for animal-based foods with reduced environmental impacts.
Recognizing that replacing animal-based products from a single source is currently not feasible; there is a need for high-quality sources of ingredients that can be combined to mimic the holistic product.
In recent years, plant-based dairy alternatives have gained traction; however, their inability to replicate the sensorial experience of real milk-attributed largely to the unique composition and structure of milk fat-remains a key limitation.
Cow’s milk fat has distinctive characteristics, including a complex fatty acid profile, which is rich in short- and medium-chain saturated fatty acids with specific positional distribution. These characteristics of cow’s milk play a role in delivering the aroma, texture, and mouthfeel of dairy products.
Recent efforts have focused on leveraging precision fermentation and cellular agriculture to mimic these properties.
This review explores the unique lipid composition of ruminant milk, the biosynthesis of milk fats, and the challenges of replicating these features in non-mammalian systems. Emphasis is placed on short-chain fatty acids and chain-termination mechanisms in fatty acid synthesis.
By integrating insights from diverse biological systems, we aim to contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex processes related to milk fat synthesis.

Hybrid yogurt: enhancing consumer acceptance by combining dairy and plant-based derivatives. Noman MAA, Slaghuis H, Islam MN, et al. J Dairy Res. 2025 Mar 4:1-7.

Hybrid yogurts combining dairy and plant-based derivatives present a novel approach to enhancing consumer acceptance of plant-based products, which is increasingly significant due to dietary trends and lactose intolerance.
This study investigates the production of hybrid yogurt blending cow’s milk (CM) with soy (C:S) and oat (C:O) drinks in various ratios (90%, 70%, and 50% cow’s milk), assessing their acceptability and quality.
Notably, the C:S (70:30) and C:O (70:30) ratios resulted improved viscosity over time, although still less than CM. The hybrid yogurts exhibited a favorable pH gradient, enhancing the acidic environment critical for flavor.
Sensory analysis revealed that C:O (70:30) offered more favorable attributes on the just-about-right scale, scoring overall 6.86/10.
Importantly, microbial analysis confirmed the safety of all hybrid products for consumption, with no harmful microorganisms detected.