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The Antimicrobial Function of Milk Lipids

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Book cover Advances in Nutritional Research

Part of the book series: Advances in Nutritional Research ((ANUR,volume 10))

Abstract

Milk is not only a source of nutrients for the newborn but also a source of immunoglobulins and non-immunoglobulin secretory products, similar to those of other parts of the secretory immune system, which play an important role in protecting mucosal surfaces from infection. Infants who are breast-fed have been found to have a lowered incidence of gastrointestinal infections than infants fed formula or cow’s milk (Larsen and Homer, 1978; Cunningham, 1979; Myerset al.1984). The incidence of any infection in very low birthweight infants is significantly lower in infants fed human milk than in infants fed formula (Hylanderet al.1998). While early studies of milk attributed this protective action to immunoglobulins, primarily secretory IgA (sIgA), other studies suggest that nonspecific protective factors play an important role in the initial defense against infection (Welsh and May, 1979).

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  1. Department of Developmental Biochemistry, Institute for Basic Research, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, 10314, NY, USA

    Charles E. Isaacs

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  1. University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

    Bill Woodward  & Harold H. Draper  & 

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Isaacs, C.E. (2001). The Antimicrobial Function of Milk Lipids. In: Woodward, B., Draper, H.H. (eds) Advances in Nutritional Research. Advances in Nutritional Research, vol 10. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0661-4_13

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