Jerusalem, Jan 2 (IANS) An Israeli study has revealed that small milk fat globules promote the growth of beneficial bacteria, according to a press release issued by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) on Thursday.
The researchers tested milk fat globules from mammary gland cells and raw milk, focusing on their impact on bacterial growth and biofilm formation.
Consequently, small milk fat globules promoted the growth of Bacillus subtilis, a beneficial bacterium, while larger globules triggered biofilm formation, which is linked to bacterial resilience.
Furthermore, a synthetic lipid mixture mimicking the chemical composition of small milk fat globules failed to stimulate bacterial growth, underscoring the critical role of structural properties over mere chemical makeup.
Metabolomic profiling further supported these results, showing that bacteria responded differently to various globule sizes.
The findings underscore milk’s natural protective mechanisms and its potential to support gut health.
Interestingly, the size of the milk fat globules did not affect Eschericia coli, a harmful bacterium, highlighting the specificity of the interactions.
The researchers concluded that these insights could help enhance dairy and food safety, suggesting that milk’s structural design plays an important role in shaping the microbial ecosystem and supporting health.
