New trends in the bioactive compounds of milk: A review of the functional activities and processing effects

Milk has a complex highly variable nutritional com-position based on the different species and animal breeds, together with the strategy and management of the animal feed. It is the first food consumed by chil-dren, exclusively for the initial months because it contains all the nutrients necessary for body growth and the development of cognitive functions. Consid-ering the Mediterranean diet, cow and goat milk is consumed fresh or used for the production of dairy products, while sheep and buffalo milk is used exclu-sively for cheese production. In developing countries, sheep milk or milk from particular animal species such as the yak is also used for fresh consumption and is a low-cost food source for consumers. Milk is the only raw food with a complete profile of all nutri-ents, from proteins to fats, carbohydrates, water, min-erals, and vitamins. Several bioactive compounds are present in milk or originate during protein digestion and fat fraction. Thus, milk can be defined as a func-tional food because it adapts to the definition "any food or food ingredient that can provide a health ben-efit over the traditional nutrients it contains".