2023 December Board Book

2024 – 2026 MilkTOT Microbiome Study* Researcher: Dr. Helen Ritchie, Nutrition Policy Institute (NPI) and Cooperative Extension Nutrition Specialist, UC ANR 2024 Budget: $53,739 CMAB REQUEST $40,304 (Total Budget$107,478) 2025 Budget Request: $54,438.50 (Total Budget $108,877); 2026 Budget Request: $56,669 (Total Budget $113,337) *Project is co-funded 50/50 with Dairy Council of California (DCC). Background: In the U.S., it is currently recommended that young children consume whole cow’s milk starting at age 1 year and then transition to low (1%) or non-fat milk at age 2 and thereafter to reduce calo rie intake for obesity prevention. However, these recommendations are not based on rigorous

trials, and the existing observational studies suggest that higher fat milk intake is associat ed with reduced adiposity. Moreover, studies are lacking on the impact of milk type on the microbiome, a relatively new indicator of health. Researchers received a 5-year R01 study, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), that began in fall 2023, called the Milk-TOT Study. Additional funding is being requested from CDRF to leverage the NIH-funded study for an evaluation of milk intake on the gut microbiota, a topic for which there is little evidence especially in young children. Researchers from UC NPI, Stanford University, George Washington University, and UC Berkley will be collaborating to complete this study.

Industry Benefit: Results from the Milk-TOT study (which stands to be the first study to rigorously test the impacts of milk type on young children in the U.S.) can inform the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Heart Association, and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics guidelines, providing healthcare practitioners with evidence-based recommendations on the role of milk type for optimal child health. Findings also can inform the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which serve as the basis for the types of milk provided to participants in federal nutrition programs. Increasing serving recommendations could provide an increased demand for California dairy. These impacts can increase the consumption of California dairy.

2024 – 2025 Improve Gut Function with Fermented Dairy*

Researcher: Dr. Maria Marco, UC Davis Food Science and Technology 2024 Budget: $55,584; CMAB REQUEST $41,688 (Total Budget $111,168)

2025 Budget Request: $62,739 (Total Budget $125,478) *Project is co-funded 50/50 with National Dairy Council (NDC).

Background: Although plant-based yogurts frequently use the same bacterial species for the fermentation process as dairy yogurts, the nutritive profiles between the two types of products are significantly different. A better understanding of how dairy- and plant-based yogurts affect intestinal responses will lead to improved positioning of dairy foods relative to plant-based alternatives. In this project, researchers will compare the capacity of dairy- and plant-based yogurts to prevent pro-inflam matory cytokine induced damage to intestinal epithelial barrier integrity and begin to identify the compounds