Milk and Dairy Products Composition: Physico-Chemical and Functional Properties

Dear Colleagues,

Milk is an astonishingly complex biological fluid. Its molecular architecture, shaped by genetics, feeding strategies, seasonal shifts, and processing, governs everything from the silky texture of yoghurt to the bioactive peptides that modulate human health. Today, as consumers demand foods that are simultaneously nutritious, functional, and sustainably produced, dairy science stands at a pivotal crossroads. Beyond its intricate nanoarchitecture, milk is also a carrier of bioactives and potential contaminants that affect human health.

This Special Issue therefore welcomes studies that illuminate how the physico‑chemical matrix of milk and dairy products translates into functional performance and health impact. We are particularly interested in work that unravels molecular and microstructural features with advanced omics and spectroscopic tools; maps raw milk variability across breeds, feeding regimes and climates, supported by sensor‑based, real-time monitoring from parlour to tanker; explores novel physical, membrane and fermentation processes that tailor composition and techno‑functionality; and, finally, quantifies both the benefits of bioactive components and the risks of chemical or biological contaminants through state‑of‑the‑art exposure assessment and quantitative risk–benefit models. Comparative insights involving non-bovine milks or animal milk-based dairy–plant blends are highly encouraged where they shed light on composition–structure–function relationships.

By gathering contributions that bridge fundamental chemistry with industrial application, we aim to advance higher‑quality, more sustainable dairy products, inspire formulations for tailored nutrition (infant, ageing, sports) and clarify the true health balance of milk consumption in the 21st century. We warmly invite original research articles, short communications, and critical reviews that advance our understanding of milk and dairy products, addressing the topics outlined below, as well as other related areas:

1. Molecular and microstructural architecture

• Casein micelle nanostructure, fat globule membrane composition.
• Proteomics, lipidomics, metabolomics, and advanced spectroscopy.

2. Raw milk variability and on-farm factors

• Breed genetics, feed composition, climate/lactation effects; real‑time, sensor‑based quality monitoring on‑farm and during transport in milk tanker trucks.
• Non-bovine milks and dairy–plant blends: comparative techno-functionality and compositional/structural profiles.

3. Novel processing

• High-pressure processing, ultrasound, cold plasma, pulsed-electric fields, membrane separations, electrodialysis.
• Fermentation-driven functionality: probiotic/post-biotic outcomes, unconventional cultures, plant–dairy cofermentations, rheology and sensory impact.

4. Bioactive and functional components

• Generation and characterization of bioactive peptides, oligosaccharides, milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) phospholipids.
• Immunomodulatory and cognitive-enhancing potentials; gut-microbiota interactions.

5. Toxicology, contaminants and exposure assessment

• Chemical/biological hazards and rapid monitoring (mycotoxins, pesticides, heavy metals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances - PFAS; Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry - LC‑MS/MS, biosensors).
• Transfer pathways from feed/environment into milk and dairy fractions.

6. Health outcomes and risk–benefit modelling

• Bioactive benefits and nutrient adequacy/bioavailability (peptides, MFGM lipids, essential/trace elements, postbiotics.
• Life‑stage specific impacts and microbiome-mediated effects; quantitative risk–benefit modelling (e.g., Quality-Adjusted Life Year – QALY, Disability-Adjusted Life Year - DALY).

Prof. Dr. Robert Toman
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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• milk and dairy products
• microstructure
• physicochemical properties
• bioactive components
• raw milk variability
• novel processing
• toxicology and exposure
• risk–benefit modelling