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Bioactive Milk Proteins and Human Health—2nd Edition

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Proteins and Amino Acids".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 April 2025) | Viewed by 849

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
Interests: molecular nutrition; bioactive food proteins; milk proteins and peptides; posttranslational protein modification; protein–cell interaction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Evolution has optimized mammals’ milk to provide their offspring with the optimal nutritive solution. Milk contains components that provide the neonate with both the necessary caloric energy and the building blocks needed for growth and development. Furthermore, milk contains numerous bioactive components, which provide signals and activities beyond classical nutrition. The majority of these bioactive components are proteins and encrypted peptides released during digestive processes. For example, milk contain proteins and peptides that possess antimicrobial activities influence blood pressure and development of lifestyle disease and play roles in the development of the gut and immune system, to mention a few.

We are pleased to announce the launch of our second Special Issue, "Bioactive Milk Proteins and Human Health—2nd Edition". Building on the success of our previous Special Issue, the purpose of this Special Issue is to explore the most up-to-date available evidence about the role of milk proteins and peptides in human health. On this topic, you are invited to submit proposals for manuscripts that investigate both in broader terms and at the mechanistic and molecular level the role of bioactive milk proteins in human health.

Prof. Dr. Esben Skipper Sørensen
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • human milk protein
  • cow's milk protein
  • lactation
  • infant formula
  • brain development
  • gastrointestinal development and disorders
  • growth and body composition
  • protein uptake
  • immunology
  • intestinal integrity

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

30 pages, 2018 KiB  
Review
Casein and Casein-Derived Peptides: Antibacterial Activities and Applications in Health and Food Systems
by Tomás Moita, Laurentina Pedroso, Isabel Santos and Ana Lima
Nutrients 2025, 17(10), 1615; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17101615 - 8 May 2025
Viewed by 597
Abstract
The growing threat of antimicrobial resistance has intensified the search for alternative strategies to conventional antibiotics and preservatives. Casein-derived antimicrobial peptides (CDAMPs), generated through proteolysis, exhibit potent activity against a broad spectrum of pathogens, including antibiotic-resistant strains, revealing strong potential as natural preservatives [...] Read more.
The growing threat of antimicrobial resistance has intensified the search for alternative strategies to conventional antibiotics and preservatives. Casein-derived antimicrobial peptides (CDAMPs), generated through proteolysis, exhibit potent activity against a broad spectrum of pathogens, including antibiotic-resistant strains, revealing strong potential as natural preservatives and therapeutic agents in food and medical applications. Furthermore, casein can be an ideal source for peptide production in these sectors due to its abundance, disordered structure, which enhances enzymatic cleavage, and its amino acid profile, which favors bioactivity. Nonetheless, there is limited literature addressing real-life applications in veterinary medicine, food safety, and public health. This review provides a structured synthesis of current knowledge on the antibacterial properties of CDPs. We classify the main types of these peptides, describe their production methods, and summarize their mechanisms of action against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore, we examine their potential applications in clinical, veterinary, and food-related contexts, and discuss key aspects related to delivery systems, safety, and regulatory considerations. Overall, our findings highlight the potential of CDPs in addressing antimicrobial resistance, reducing antibiotic use in livestock and humans, and contributing to sustainable food safety and functional food production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Milk Proteins and Human Health—2nd Edition)
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