Butter serums and buttermilks as sources of bioactive lipids from the milk fat globule membrane: Differences in their lipid composition and potentialities of cow diet to increase n-3 PUFA

- Buttermilks and butter serums are rich in bioactive lipids from milk.
- Butter serums contain high amount of polar lipids, sphingomyelin and choline.
- Milk polar lipids are interesting suppliers of polyunsaturated fatty acids (DHA).
- The polar lipid profile of butter serums is close to that of human breast milk.
- Milk polar lipids can be sourced to improve the nutritional quality of food products.

Improving the nutritional and health properties of food products, e.g. infant milk formula, by the addition of functional ingredients is of primary importance. This study focused on bioactive milk polar lipids (PLs) recovered from dietary sources that are of increasing interest. The chemical compositions of buttermilks and butter serums were determined and the modulation of the fatty acid composition of milk PLs was investigated. Butter serums contain a higher amount of milk PLs than buttermilks (88 vs. 13-18 g/kg dry matter), with a higher proportion of sphingomyelin (34 vs. 19% of PLs, respectively) interestingly close to human milk PL profile. Butter serums are also interesting sources of choline, an important nutrient for infant brain development. We demonstrated that the unsaturated fatty acid content of milk PLs recovered in the buttermilks and the butter serums, mainly the amount of C18:3n-3 and C22:6n-3 (DHA) that are of nutritional interest, can be increased by dietary strategies. This work opens perspectives for a better valorization of milk PLs in human nutrition (both infants and adults) to benefit their functional, nutritional and health properties.

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