It has been reported recently that industrial dairies favor super-productive cow breeds (Holsteins, mostly) that give milk with a protein known as AI which has been linked to serious health conditions (e.g., diabetes, heart disease, and autoimmune conditions like eczema and asthma).
Does anyone have more detailed information?
Does milk from all sources contain AI protein?
Does milk produced by grass-fed cows from organic dairies contain AI protein (or just less)?
Does breast milk contain any AI protein?
Hello Anthony Foris: The statement in your question is not true.
The concept of A1 and A2 milk is being exploited commercially.
Scientific report on A1 and A2 milk by EFSA (2009), reported that, a cause-effect relationship between the oral intakes of BCM-7 or related peptides and aetiology or course of any suggested non-communicable diseases cannot be established.
Milk from pure breed cows; Jersey cows, Guernsey cows and some of the Asian cows are of A2 type milk. Human milk, Buffalo, camels, sheep, yaks, donkey and goat milk all are naturally contain mostly A2 type, whereas; milk from crossbred cows such as Holsteins and Friesians produce mostly A1 type or generally mix of A1 and A2 milks.
Organic feeding or regular feeding of grass and other fodder doesn't change the cow milk from A1 to A2.
@Dear Laxmana Naik,
You wrote that "the statement in your question is not true", and that "the concept of A1 and A2 milk is being exploited commercially". Could you please clarify for me what part of the statement in my question is not true?
Also, your statement that "the concept of A1 and A2 milk is being exploited commercially"? Who is exploiting that concept? Can you provide a copy of the "scientific report on A1 and A2 milk by EFSA (2009) that you referred to in your interesting answer? The article "Milk proteins and human health: A1/A2 milk hypothesis" (Indian J. Endocrinol Metab. 2012 Sep-Oct; 16(5): 856 (doi: 10.4103/2230-8210.100685) states that "Populations, which consume milk containing high levels of beta-casein A2 variant, have a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease and type-1 diabetes. The A1/A2 hypothesis is both intriguing and potentially very important for public health if it is proved correct. It should be taken seriously and deeper research is needed to verify the range and nature of BCM7 interactions with the human gastrointestinal tract and whole organism. This requires more of animal trials and generation of data on human subjects having the problems related to A1/A2 beta-casein milk consumption."
Whether or not reports such as the one attached (reproduced from Mother Jones) are possibly overstating the potential problem of A1 consumption, the question deserves serious, unbiased answers based on solid scientific studies. That is the reason for my inquiry.
A single amino acid in the milk protein beta-casein makes the difference between A1 and A2. The A2 casein at position 67 contains the amino acid proline, and the A1 casein histidine. Thus, in the digestion of A1, the so-called opiate beta casomorphin-7 (BCM-7) is split off, not in the A2 varinates. This metabolite is said to be the reason that some people can not tolerate milk.
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