At the end of 2021, the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China announced the first batch of key projects in the "14th Five-Year Plan", and the school-enterprise consortium composed of Jiangnan University, Dalian Polytechnic University, Anhui Tiankai and other units won the bid for "Technological Innovation and Demonstration of Large-scale Preparation of New Core Ingredients for Infant Dairy Products".

According to the division of tasks, Anhui Tiankai undertakes the preparation and demonstration production of functional milk peptides such as functional milk protein and hypoallergenic, including α-lactalbumin, milk fat globule membrane, β-casein, hydrolyzed peptide, etc.

In this issue, we will introduce you to the milk fat globule membrane - a milk raw material for fat and protein

Lipids are important nutrients in breast milk. With the deepening of scientific research, the composition of MilkFat Globule Membrane (MFGM) and its health benefits have gradually been recognized.

MFGM is a 3-layer phospholipidin membrane coated with milk fat droplets, which is formed during the release of fat by breast endothelial cells and is structurally divided into an inner monolayer phospholipid membrane and an outer bilayer biofilm. [1]

In terms of composition, MFGM is mainly lipids and proteins, in addition to enzymes and mucopolysaccharides, among which lipids are phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylin, sphingomyelin, glycolipids, gangliosides, etc. Proteins include lactolipoproteins, xanthine oxidases, xanthine dehydrogenases, mucin, lactoagglutinins, and fatty acid-binding proteins. [2]

In view of the complex composition and structure of the emulsion fat globule membrane, there is currently no unified quantitative method on the market, and the content of sphingomyelins and gangliosides is mostly used as evaluation indicators. Current research shows that the milk fat globule membrane has the following effects when used in infant nutrition:

Promotes neonatal brain cognitive development

Independent controlled feeding trials from Sweden, Japan and China have shown that infant formula containing milk fat globule membrane ingredients and fortified characteristic lipids (sphingomyelins 9 mg/100 mL or 40 ~92.2 mg/100 g, gangliosides 1 mg/100 mL or 9 ~17.9 mg/100 g) can increase serum sphingomyelins and gangliosides compared with infant formula without milk fat globule membrane ingredients, It has the effect of improving the cognitive level of infants.

Strengthens neonatal immunity

Independent clinical trials from China, Sweden, Mexico and other places have shown that compared with infant formula milk powder without milk fat globule membrane ingredients, infant formula milk powder with milk powder with milk fat globule membrane ingredients (protein content of milk fat globule membrane 0.42~4.2g/d) can improve the immunity of infants, reduce the incidence of inflammation and the number of doctor visits.

Conclusion: As a naturally occurring nutrient in breast milk, the addition of milk fat globule membrane will make the phospholipid composition of infant formula closer to breast milk.