Worldwide Research Trends on Milk Containing Only A2 β-Casein: A Bibliometric Study

Simple Summary A1 beta-casein has been correlated with adverse health outcomes, and, as a consequence, milk containing only A2 beta-casein has emerged on the market. There has been a relevant increase in publications in this area since 2010. Food Science Technology and Agriculture were the main research areas of this topic. The term beta-casomorphin was the most frequently used. The USA, New Zealand, and Australia were the most productive countries, though the most productive research institutions were, in absolute terms, from India, France, and Germany. The majority of the most cited studies that refer to A2 beta-casein and health were reviews, and a few clinical trials have also been published. The protein fraction of beta-casein may play a key role in the manifestation of a new intolerance: milk protein intolerance. The most common forms of beta-casein among dairy cattle breeds are A1 and A2 beta-casein. During gastrointestinal digestion of A1 beta-casein, an opioid called peptide beta-casomorphin-7 (BCM-7) is more frequently released, which can lead to adverse health outcomes. For that reason, novel products labelled as A2 milk or A1-free dairy products have appeared on the market. In this context, a bibliometric analysis on A2 beta-casein research was carried out through the Web of Science (WoS) database. The main objective of this work was to provide an overview of the state of the art in the field of beta-casein A2 by analyzing the number of publications per year, trends in thematic content, the most frequently used terms, and the most important institutions and countries in the field. This bibliometric study showed that a greater effort is needed to determine the possible implications of this novel product for human health and the market.

Automated summary

Research has shown that A1 beta-casein is associated with adverse health outcomes, leading to the emergence of milk products containing only A2 beta-casein. The majority of research on A2 beta-casein and its effects on health is focused on food science technology and agriculture, with the most productive institutions coming from India, France, and Germany.