ABSTRACT
112Milk and milk products are associated with human health across the lifespan. A major advantage of dairy foods is that consumers are already familiar with them and many believe that dairy products are healthy, natural products. Milk and dairy products constitute one of the four major food groups that make up a balanced diet. Milk is one of the major sources of conjugated linoleic acid in the diet, although it is a minor component of milk fat. In addition to bioavailable calcium, milk also provides phosphorus, zinc, and fluoride, which are essential for optimal bone health and prevent osteoporotic fractures. Milk is an excellent natural source of nutrients; research also shows that milk-derived components have many beneficial physiological properties. The importance of microbiota in human health, its different functions, and various milk and milk products which contribute to the microbiota are discussed in the present chapter.
