Structural changes in milk from different species during gastric digestion in piglets

Area of Science:

• Food science and nutrition
• Gastroenterology
• Biomaterials science

Background:

• Milk is a complex emulsion whose digestion is crucial for nutrient absorption.
• Understanding species-specific milk digestion mechanisms is vital for infant nutrition and bioinspired delivery systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the in vivo structural and physicochemical changes of cow, goat, and sheep milk during gastric digestion in piglets.
• To compare the gastric digestion dynamics and nutrient retention of different milk types.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a piglet model to study gastric digestion of cow, goat, and sheep milk.
• Collected stomach chyme at various postfeeding times to analyze curd formation, fat globule entrapment, and disintegration.
• Assessed curd consistency and protein network structure.

Main Results:

• All milks formed distinct curd and liquid phases in the stomach, with curds retained longer.
• Fat globules were primarily entrapped within the protein network of the curd.
• Goat and sheep milk curds were softer and disintegrated faster than cow milk curds, leading to quicker gastric emptying of nutrients.

Conclusions:

• Gastric digestion of milk is species-dependent, influencing nutrient release rates.
• Softer curd consistency in goat and sheep milk facilitates faster gastric emptying compared to cow milk.
• Findings offer insights for designing bioinspired structures for controlled nutrient delivery.