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Quality, processing ability and sensory properties of milk are highly correlated with content and composition of milk fat. Biologically active lipid substances are primarily saturated fatty acids (SFAs), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs; linoleic acid; C18:2 n-6) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs; a-linolenic acid; C18:3 n-3). PUFAs with 20C, mainly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; C20:5 n-3) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; SC22:6 n3), are precursors of eicosanoids, which regulate various physiological processes. Fatty acid composition depends on many different factors, such as animal species, breed, season, lactation stage, geographical location, and diet. Goat and sheep milk are rich in the medium chain fatty acids, caproic (C6:0), caprylic (C8:0) and capric (C10:0), which is the reason for the specific aroma of those kinds of milk. Goat and sheep milk have more conjugated linoleic acid, and usually lower n-6/n-3 ratios, with higher amounts of a-linolenic acid, compared to cow milk. Compared to goat and cow milk, sheep milk has the lowest amounts of lauric (C12:0), myristic (C14:0) and palmitic (C16:0) acids i.e. fatty acids associated with negative effects on human health. The addition of forage, especially fresh grass, to dairy animal diets enhances the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids in milk fat compared to SFAs and increases the amount of conjugated linoleic acid.

The antibacterial activity of cinnamaldehyde was evaluated against S. aureus experimentally inoculated (10(3) CFU/mL) in UHT-pasteurized milk, which was treated with different concentrations of the cinnamaldehyde (0.1% and 0.05%) and stored at 4 degrees C for 12 days. The MIC of cinnamaldehyde was 160 mu g/ml. During the storage period, S. aureus counts in milk were reduced by 0.35-2.77 log CFU/mL. Significantly greater decreases were observed when cinnamaldehyde was added, regardless of the concentration used, compared with the control. A triangle test showed that panellists could detect the difference between milks with different concentrations of cinnamaldehyde (P<0.01). These results suggest that by adding 0.05% cinnamaldehyde to milk, the safety of the milk can be increased and a pleasant, desirable flavour can be obtained.

The antibacterial activity of cinnamaldehyde was evaluated against S. aureus experimentally inoculated (10(3) CFU/mL) in UHT-pasteurized milk, which was treated with different concentrations of the cinnamaldehyde (0.1% and 0.05%) and stored at 4 degrees C for 12 days. The MIC of cinnamaldehyde was 160 mu g/ml. During the storage period, S. aureus counts in milk were reduced by 0.35-2.77 log CFU/mL. Significantly greater decreases were observed when cinnamaldehyde was added, regardless of the concentration used, compared with the control. A triangle test showed that panellists could detect the difference between milks with different concentrations of cinnamaldehyde (P<0.01). These results suggest that by adding 0.05% cinnamaldehyde to milk, the safety of the milk can be increased and a pleasant, desirable flavour can be obtained.

Quality, processing ability and sensory properties of milk are highly correlated with content and composition of milk fat. Biologically active lipid substances are primarily saturated fatty acids (SFAs), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs; linoleic acid; C18:2 n-6) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs; a-linolenic acid; C18:3 n-3). PUFAs with 20C, mainly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; C20:5 n-3) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; SC22:6 n3), are precursors of eicosanoids, which regulate various physiological processes. Fatty acid composition depends on many different factors, such as animal species, breed, season, lactation stage, geographical location, and diet. Goat and sheep milk are rich in the medium chain fatty acids, caproic (C6:0), caprylic (C8:0) and capric (C10:0), which is the reason for the specific aroma of those kinds of milk. Goat and sheep milk have more conjugated linoleic acid, and usually lower n-6/n-3 ratios, with higher amounts of a-linolenic acid, compared to cow milk. Compared to goat and cow milk, sheep milk has the lowest amounts of lauric (C12:0), myristic (C14:0) and palmitic (C16:0) acids i.e. fatty acids associated with negative effects on human health. The addition of forage, especially fresh grass, to dairy animal diets enhances the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids in milk fat compared to SFAs and increases the amount of conjugated linoleic acid.

Although milk/dairy consumption is part of many cultures and is recommended in most dietary guidelines around the world, its contribution to overall diet quality remains a matter of controversy, leading to a highly polarized debate within the scientific community, media and public sector. The present article, at first, describes the evolutionary roots of milk consumption, then reviews the milk-derived bioactive peptides as health-promoting components. The third part of the article, in general, presents the associations between milk nutrients, disease prevention, and health promotion.

Although milk/dairy consumption is part of many cultures and is recommended in most dietary guidelines around the world, its contribution to overall diet quality remains a matter of controversy, leading to a highly polarized debate within the scientific community, media and public sector. The present article, at first, describes the evolutionary roots of milk consumption, then reviews the milk-derived bioactive peptides as health-promoting components. The third part of the article, in general, presents the associations between milk nutrients, disease prevention, and health promotion.