Functional comparison of breast milk, cow milk and goat milk based on changes in the intestinal flora of mice

Milk from various species differs in their main components. In this study, we analyzed the content of main components in breast milk, cow milk and goat milk, and evaluated their impacts on the intestinal microbiota in mice using the high-throughput sequencing of 16 S rRNA genes. Several significant differences in the nutrient components were observed between different milk types and these differences could alter the composition and functional feature of intestinal microbiota in mice. Microbial diversity analysis indicated that the composition of intestinal microbiota differed between breast milk, cow milk, goat milk and control groups. The metagenomic analysis showed that relative abundance of Alloprevotella and Bifidobacterium significantly increased in breast milk group, while Allobaculum and Akkermansia were significantly enriched in cow milk group and goat milk group, respectively (P<0.001). We also found that protein, minerals and total amino acids of milk were positively correlated with Akkermansia and negatively correlated with Alloprevotella, Bifidobacterium. These suggest that breast milk, cow milk and goat milk enter the intestine with enough variation between types of milk and differentially modify the intestinal microbiota, which may positively affect the physiological function of the microbiota.

Automated summary

The study found that different types of milk have different effects on the intestinal microbiota of mice. Significant differences in nutrient components between breast milk, cow milk, and goat milk can alter the composition and functional features of the intestinal microbiota. The protein, minerals, and amino acid content of milk are correlated with specific bacterial groups in the intestinal microbiota.