Skip to content
Splash! Milk Science Update | International Milk Genomics Consortium

Keep up to date on the latest discoveries and news in milk science with our bi-monthly publication SPLASH! ®

Current Issue #113

Issue Date: March 2023

Dairy Consumption in Youth Linked with Better Mental Health
By: Alice Callahan, PhD

Children grow up hearing that milk and other dairy foods can help them develop strong and healthy bones. But could dairy also be good for kids’ brains—and their mental health? Researchers have been working to answer this question, which has taken on greater urgency given the rise in youth struggling with mental health. According to the World Health Organization, about 14% of 10- to 19-year-olds globally have a mental health condition, with anxiety and depression being most common.

Read more

Facts, Not Fads: Dairy Fat Can Be Heart Healthy
By: Lauren Milligan Newmark, Ph.D.

If your New Year’s resolution for 2023 was to eat healthier, you’re not alone. Fifty percent of Americans surveyed at the end of 2022 planned to use the change in calendar year to make improvements to their diet. With so much dietary advice available at the click of a mouse, it can be difficult to discern diet fads from scientifically informed guidance. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) were designed to help us separate the wheat from the chaff when it comes to healthy eating choices across the life span. But despite being based on “the most current body of nutritional science”, the recent edition of the DGA falls short of their promise when providing guidance on dairy foods.

Read more

Milk-linked Microbe Mitigates Effect of Antibiotics on Asthma Risk
By: Jyoti Madhusoodanan

Asthma, which affects 14% of children and their families around the world, is the most common chronic disease of childhood. Several studies have linked an early exposure to antibiotics to an increased risk of asthma.

Read more

Flavor Wheel Points to Role of Fat in Human Milk Taste
By: Alla Katsnelson, Ph.D

Scientists know little about the flavor of human milk, but they do know that flavor plays a large role in breastfeeding. In a new study, researchers have constructed the first-ever flavor wheel for human milk—a tool that can be used to objectively describe and quantify the substance’s flavor and sensory properties.

Read more