A2 milk
Encyclopedia
A2 Milk is a trademark
of the A2 Corporation. The A2 Corporation licenses milk producers + distributors to apply the trademarked A2 Milk label to their milk. Only companies with cows that produce A2, β-casein
protein, not A1, are given a license to use the trademarked label. A1 β-casein
protein is the most common protein type found in cow's milk in Europe (excluding France), the USA, Australia and New Zealand.
A1 and A2 β-casein
are categories of proteins with different chemical structures. The A2 Corporation believes that the difference in structures is important, and has commissioned studies that attempt to confirm a link between casomorphin
BCM7 (produced when A1 β-casein
is digested) and common human illnesses, including heart disease.
A genetic test, developed by the A2 Corporation, determines whether a cow produces A2 or A1 protein in its milk. The test uses hair from the cow's tail to determine this. The test allows the A2 Corporation to give licenses to milk producers once these producers prove their cows produce A2 β-casein
protein. A2 Milk is currently available in New Zealand
, Australia
and (to a much lesser extent) in the United States
.
The book also seeks to make a link between consumption of A1 milk and heart disease, consumption of A2 milk and longer life expectancy, as well as numerous other claims.
One of the most interesting statistical studies which continues to motivate further research is a study of heart disease rates by country with consumption of A1 milk by country. Heart disease rates do not correlate with milk consumption, but according to statistical studies they correlate very well with rates of A1 milk consumption. A researcher from the A2 milk corporation found that:
A possible mechanism for BCM-7 to increase risk of heart disease is by acting as a catalyst causing oxidation of LDL-cholestrol.
These theories of the benefits of A2 milk are based on statistical correlations of populations, animal research, and/or anecdotal evidence
.
or their possible protein precursors and non-communicable diseases.'
.
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
of the A2 Corporation. The A2 Corporation licenses milk producers + distributors to apply the trademarked A2 Milk label to their milk. Only companies with cows that produce A2, β-casein
Casein
Casein is the name for a family of related phosphoprotein proteins . These proteins are commonly found in mammalian milk, making up 80% of the proteins in cow milk and between 60% and 65% of the proteins in human milk....
protein, not A1, are given a license to use the trademarked label. A1 β-casein
Casein
Casein is the name for a family of related phosphoprotein proteins . These proteins are commonly found in mammalian milk, making up 80% of the proteins in cow milk and between 60% and 65% of the proteins in human milk....
protein is the most common protein type found in cow's milk in Europe (excluding France), the USA, Australia and New Zealand.
A1 and A2 β-casein
Casein
Casein is the name for a family of related phosphoprotein proteins . These proteins are commonly found in mammalian milk, making up 80% of the proteins in cow milk and between 60% and 65% of the proteins in human milk....
are categories of proteins with different chemical structures. The A2 Corporation believes that the difference in structures is important, and has commissioned studies that attempt to confirm a link between casomorphin
Casomorphin
Casomorphins are peptides, i.e., protein fragments, derived from the digestion of milk protein casein. The distinguishing characteristic of casomorphins is that they have an opioid effect....
BCM7 (produced when A1 β-casein
Casein
Casein is the name for a family of related phosphoprotein proteins . These proteins are commonly found in mammalian milk, making up 80% of the proteins in cow milk and between 60% and 65% of the proteins in human milk....
is digested) and common human illnesses, including heart disease.
A genetic test, developed by the A2 Corporation, determines whether a cow produces A2 or A1 protein in its milk. The test uses hair from the cow's tail to determine this. The test allows the A2 Corporation to give licenses to milk producers once these producers prove their cows produce A2 β-casein
Casein
Casein is the name for a family of related phosphoprotein proteins . These proteins are commonly found in mammalian milk, making up 80% of the proteins in cow milk and between 60% and 65% of the proteins in human milk....
protein. A2 Milk is currently available in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and (to a much lesser extent) in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
A2 Corporation on A2 milk
Keith Woodford, in the book 'Devil in the milk', writes:Some thousands of years ago a genetically different strain of milk appeared, now known as 'A1' milk. The original 'A2' milk is generally produced by cattle in Africa, Asia, France and GuernseyGuernseyGuernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...
. Goat and camel milk is also 'A2'. Cattle in other countries generally produce mainly 'A1' milk. There is only one genetic difference between A1 and A2 milk, being the amino acid at position 67 in the chain of 209 amino acids that make up beta-casein protein in milk. In the case of A1 beta-casein the amino acid at position 67 is histidineHistidineHistidine Histidine, an essential amino acid, has a positively charged imidazole functional group. It is one of the 22 proteinogenic amino acids. Its codons are CAU and CAC. Histidine was first isolated by German physician Albrecht Kossel in 1896. Histidine is an essential amino acid in humans...
, whereas with A2 beta-casein it is the amino acid prolineProlineProline is an α-amino acid, one of the twenty DNA-encoded amino acids. Its codons are CCU, CCC, CCA, and CCG. It is not an essential amino acid, which means that the human body can synthesize it. It is unique among the 20 protein-forming amino acids in that the α-amino group is secondary...
... However this small difference results in the milk having quite a different chemical - and perhaps physiological - effect. This is because the proline forms a strong bond with the amino acids in positions 66 and 68. In A1 milk, the histidine linkage with its neighbours is more “easily broken by digestive enzymes... The breakdown of these links through digestion creates a protein fragment known as BCM7 (beta-casomorphin-7) which acts as an opiate."
The book also seeks to make a link between consumption of A1 milk and heart disease, consumption of A2 milk and longer life expectancy, as well as numerous other claims.
One of the most interesting statistical studies which continues to motivate further research is a study of heart disease rates by country with consumption of A1 milk by country. Heart disease rates do not correlate with milk consumption, but according to statistical studies they correlate very well with rates of A1 milk consumption. A researcher from the A2 milk corporation found that:
The populations of Toulouse in France and Belfast in Northern Ireland have almost identical collective traditional risk factors for heart disease, yet the respective mortality rates vary more than threefold. People from Northern Ireland are estimated to consume 3.23 times more beta-casein A1 than the French.
A possible mechanism for BCM-7 to increase risk of heart disease is by acting as a catalyst causing oxidation of LDL-cholestrol.
These theories of the benefits of A2 milk are based on statistical correlations of populations, animal research, and/or anecdotal evidence
Anecdotal evidence
The expression anecdotal evidence refers to evidence from anecdotes. Because of the small sample, there is a larger chance that it may be true but unreliable due to cherry-picked or otherwise unrepresentative of typical cases....
.
Scientific Scrutiny
A review of the relevant scientific literature by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), published in February 2009, found that 'a cause and effect relationship is not established between the dietary intake of BCM7, related peptidesPeptide
Peptides are short polymers of amino acid monomers linked by peptide bonds. They are distinguished from proteins on the basis of size, typically containing less than 50 monomer units. The shortest peptides are dipeptides, consisting of two amino acids joined by a single peptide bond...
or their possible protein precursors and non-communicable diseases.'
A2 Milk and Milk Allergies
A2 milk is not a milk substitute. A2 milk is milk, and is not recommended for people identified as milk allergicMilk allergy
A milk allergy is a food allergy, an adverse immune reaction to one or more of the constituents of milk from any animal...
.
External links
- ABC TV Australia's "Four Corners" investigation, "White Mischief"
- Abstract: A casein variant in cow's milk is atherogenic.
- A1 and A2 Milk (14 September 2007) Fact Sheets 2007 - Food Standards Australia New Zealand
- A1 Milk and Heart Disease/Diabetes/Beta Casmorphin 7
- A2 Australia Pty Limited
- A2 Corporation Website
- A2 Milk - FactSheet - Food Intolerance Network
- A2 milk is allergenic
- A2 milk science website
- Information on beta casein research
- Information on beta caseins
- NZFSA Lay Summary
- NZFSA Peer Review
- You may be asking, “What is a2 Milk?” - Hy-Vee