About this Research Topic
Milk component digestion and infant health are closely intertwined, as the ability of infants to digest the various components of milk plays a vital role in their overall well-being and development. Milk, whether human milk or formula, contains a complex mixture of nutrients, including proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Infants have digestive enzymes that are responsible for breaking down these nutrients into smaller molecules. Proper digestion of these components is essential for an infant's growth, immune system development, and overall health. For example, some peptides and proteins left intact may have beneficial bioactivity in the infant. However, incompletely broken-down proteins can elicit an immune response in the infant and, therefore, have detrimental effects. The mechanisms underlying these effects and the specific functions and health benefits of bioactive molecules released during digestion are subjects of continued study.
In this Research Topic, we aim to address the need for a comprehensive understanding of milk component digestion and its health benefits in human infants. Specifically, the themes that this Research Topic wants to address include, but are not limited to:
• Milk component bioavailability and absorption in infants.
• Influence of food matrix, processing, and microbiota in milk component digestion and absorption in human infants.
• Impact of milk protein digestion on infant gut health development.
• Effects of milk extracellular vesicle digestion on infant health.
• Enzyme effects on lipid and protein absorption and development.
• Improved infant formulas and dietary guidelines to ensure non-breastfed infants receive the best possible nutrition benefits.
• Mechanisms of milk protein digestion, including molecular processes of milk digestion in the gastrointestinal tract and specific chemical structure changes of milk components during digestion.
• Health benefits/side effects of digestion released milk components.
Authors should aim to explore and contribute to the growing body of knowledge surrounding milk component digestion in human infants, bioavailability, digestion mechanisms, and their impact on human infant health. Research can encompass basic scientific investigations, clinical studies, nutritional interventions, and epidemiological analyses.
Dr. Tim Lambers is employed by FrieslandCampina. The other Topic Editors declare no other competing interests with relation to this topic theme.
In this Research Topic, we aim to address the need for a comprehensive understanding of milk component digestion and its health benefits in human infants. Specifically, the themes that this Research Topic wants to address include, but are not limited to:
• Milk component bioavailability and absorption in infants.
• Influence of food matrix, processing, and microbiota in milk component digestion and absorption in human infants.
• Impact of milk protein digestion on infant gut health development.
• Effects of milk extracellular vesicle digestion on infant health.
• Enzyme effects on lipid and protein absorption and development.
• Improved infant formulas and dietary guidelines to ensure non-breastfed infants receive the best possible nutrition benefits.
• Mechanisms of milk protein digestion, including molecular processes of milk digestion in the gastrointestinal tract and specific chemical structure changes of milk components during digestion.
• Health benefits/side effects of digestion released milk components.
Authors should aim to explore and contribute to the growing body of knowledge surrounding milk component digestion in human infants, bioavailability, digestion mechanisms, and their impact on human infant health. Research can encompass basic scientific investigations, clinical studies, nutritional interventions, and epidemiological analyses.
Dr. Tim Lambers is employed by FrieslandCampina. The other Topic Editors declare no other competing interests with relation to this topic theme.
Keywords: Human milk, formula, infant digestion, infant health, bioavailability, dietary guidelines, bioactivity, digestion
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
