A Fundamental Study on the Effects of Goat Milk Supplementation on Plasma Mineral Concentrations in Experimental Mice

Abstract

Todayʼs consumers in developing and developed countries are more and more sophisticated in their desire to know about the composition and constituents in dairy products as they relate to human health. During the last 30 years, there has been a reawakening and rediscovery of natural, organic, farm-fresh, artisanal, and original foods for healthier and tastier eating. In this reawakening, dairy goats have also been prominently rediscovered as fitting well the new interest in healthy foods, especially goat milk products, cheeses, and yogurt. Dairy goats reentered a niche alternative of the dairy industry even in regions in which only dairy cows use the market. Worldwide FAO statistics show enormously increasing numbers of dairy goats during recent decades (+61% worldwide from 458 million head in 1980 to 738 million head in 2001).

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of goat milk supplementation on plasma mineral concentrations in mice. Four-week-old male BALB/c mice were divided into 4 groups; distilled water group (control: C), 5 mL goat milk/day oral feeding group (G5), 10 mL goat milk/day oral feeding group (G10), 15 mL goat milk/day oral feeding group (G15), with 10 mice in each group. Total experimental period was 14 days. Body weight gain was not significantly different between any of the 4 groups. Plasma Cu and Zn concentrations of goat milk supplementation groups were significantly higher than those of the control group, but there were no difference plasma Fe and Ca concentrations among the 4 groups.