In the last decade there has been a boom in the world of dairy products; ranging from whole milks, semi or skimmed to endless possibilities of lactose-free to enriched with vitamins and most recently a variety of plant substitutes such as soy, oat, rice or almond “milks”.
This comes from the revelation that dairy products are not easy to digest and the increased intolerances in an elevated percentage of the population.
One of the aspects that has been most talked about internationally in recent years is the case in Beta A2; But what is this component and why is the dairy industry revolutionizing this? Here we explain it to you:
Cow's milk can have three types of casein: alpha, beta and kapa. The casein Beta, in turn can be A1, A2, B, C and A3. The contents of these molecules in the milk vary according to the genetic composition of the cow breed.
Formerly the cows produced only the A2 protein. But about 100,000 years ago due to a cell mutation in Europe, cows started producing the Beta Casein A1 protein. These cows produce more milk, which is why they are preferred by livestock due to their profitability, and they dominated the worlds dairy market. Some breeds of cows, especially in Europe, such as Guernsey, Jersey and Swiss continue to produce that milk with A2 protein.
However, recent studies have shown that A2 protein has better health properties than A1, and that the consumption of this milk is suitable for lactose intolerant without causing digestive problems. In addition, this protein aids better digestion and general processing of milk.
The mutation occurred in cows in the change of A2 protein by A1, did not occur in other animals such as sheep or goats, so the milk of these mammals only contains A2.
For years in countries such as the United States or Australia, all types of dairy products that have been made with cow's milk with the Beta Casein A2 gene are commercialized.
