Announcement • Jul 28
The A2 Milk Company Presents New Clinical And Preclinical Research On A1 Protein-Free Infant Formula And Beta-Casein Science
The a2 Milk Company presented new clinical and preclinical research at NUTRITION 2026, the American Society for Nutrition’s annual meeting held July 25-28 in National Harbor, Maryland. The research program included two studies presented by The a2 Milk Company and company-funded studies led by investigators at Purdue University and Nova Southeastern University. Together, the studies examined infant growth and safety, protein utilization, digestive tolerance, gastrointestinal biomarkers and the gut-brain axis, building on more than two decades of research in A1- and A2-type beta-casein protein. The studies examined infant growth and safety, protein utilization and gastrointestinal biomarkers, and the respective roles of lactose and beta-casein in digestive tolerance. The presentations included two studies from The a2 Milk Company and company-funded research conducted by Purdue University and Nova Southeastern University investigators. They add to the company’s research program focused on naturally occurring beta-casein variants and their potential effects on digestion and health. The a2 Milk Company presented results from a randomized, double-blind controlled trial evaluating the growth and safety of infant formula made with milk free from A1-type beta-casein protein (A1PF) in healthy term infants. The Growth Monitoring Study, a clinical trial required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for new infant formulas, demonstrated that infants fed A1PF formula experienced normal growth throughout the 16-week study period, meeting the FDA's predefined non-inferiority criteria when compared with a commercially available infant formula. Beyond meeting the study's primary endpoint, additional analyses found that infants receiving the A1PF formula achieved significantly greater average weight gain (3,577.78 vs. 3,376.50 grams), compared with those receiving conventional formula – approximately 6% greater weight gain. Demonstrated significantly greater length gain (12.88 vs. 12.08 cm) compared with infants fed conventional formula – approximately 6.6% greater length gain. Had significantly higher weight-for-age and length-for-age z-scores at 16 weeks. Research presented by Armstrong examined the protein component of an infant formula made with A1PF milk using the Association of Official Analytical Collaboration (AOAC INTERNATIONAL) Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER) Official Method 960.48. Key findings included higher adjusted PER compared with casein controls, elevated antioxidant status, reduced gastrointestinal inflammatory markers, improved intestinal barrier function markers, and higher lactase gene and protein expression. Together, these findings suggest use of A1PF milk in formula may support improved protein quality and create a more favorable gastrointestinal environment for nutrient utilization. Additional research is needed to determine the clinical significance of these findings. Purdue University investigators independently conducted the research, with funding provided by The a2 Milk Company. The studies examined the role of A1- and A2-type beta-casein in digestion and metabolism, further contributing to the growing body of scientific evidence on milk protein biology. Purdue investigators also presented additional research exploring the biological mechanisms underlying A1- and A2-type beta-casein, including studies on gastric emptying, glucose metabolism, and redox biology. Researchers at Nova Southeastern University independently conducted the research, with funding provided by The a2 Milk Company. Led by neuroscientist Dr Richard Deth, the study explored how naturally occurring differences in milk proteins may influence inflammation in the gut and brain. The NUTRITION 2026 presentations build upon an expanding body of clinical and preclinical evidence examining the differences between A1- and A2-type beta-casein proteins. Research conducted over the past two decades has shown that milk free from A1-type beta-casein has been associated with improved digestive comfort and reduced gastrointestinal symptoms, lower markers of inflammation, higher antioxidant levels, specifically in individuals with lactose intolerance, and emerging benefits for cognition and quality of life in older adults. Unlike conventional milk, milk free from A1-type beta-casein does not preferentially release the peptide beta-casomorphin-7 (BCM-7) during digestion, a proposed mechanism that researchers continue to investigate as part of understanding digestive and physiological differences between beta-casein protein types.
