Beta-casein a2 and prevention of inflammation of the bowel

Abstract

The use of a composition for preventing or reducing the risk of inflammation of the bowel in an animal, wherein the composition contains beta-casein and wherein the beta-casein comprises at least 50% by weight beta-casein A2.

1 . The use of a composition for preventing or reducing the risk of inflammation of the bowel in an animal, wherein the composition contains beta-casein and wherein the beta-casein comprises at least 50% by weight beta-casein A2. 
     
     
         2 . The use as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the beta-casein comprises at least 90% by weight beta-casein A2. 
     
     
         3 . The use as claimed in  claim 1  or  claim 2 , wherein the beta-casein comprises at least 99% beta-casein A2. 
     
     
         4 . The use as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the beta-casein comprises less than 50% by weight beta-casein A1. 
     
     
         5 . The use as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the beta-casein comprises less than 10% by weight beta-casein A1. 
     
     
         6 . The use as claimed in  claim 3  or  claim 4 , wherein the beta-casein comprises less than 1% by weight beta-casein A1. 
     
     
         7 . The use as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  6 , wherein the composition is milk or a milk product. 
     
     
         8 . The use as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the milk is fresh milk, milk powder, liquid milk reconstituted from powder, skim milk, homogenised milk, condensed milk, evaporated milk, pasteurised milk, non-pasteurised milk, or UHT milk. 
     
     
         9 . The use as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the milk product is cream, yoghurt, quark, cheese, butter, or ice cream. 
     
     
         10 . The use as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  9 , wherein the inflammation of the bowel is an inflammatory bowel disease. 
     
     
         11 . The use as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the inflammatory bowel disease is Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. 
     
     
         12 . The use as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  9 , wherein the inflammation of the bowel is irritable bowel syndrome. 
     
     
         13 . The use as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  12 , wherein the animal is a human, a dog, or a cat. 
     
     
         14 . A composition for preventing or reducing the risk of inflammation of the bowel in an animal, wherein the composition contains beta-casein and wherein the beta-casein comprises at least 50% by weight beta-casein A2. 
     
     
         15 . The use of milk in the manufacture of a composition for preventing or reducing the risk of inflammation of the bowel of an animal, wherein the milk contains beta-casein and wherein the beta-casein comprises at least 50% by weight beta-casein A2. 
     
     
         16 . A method of preventing or reducing the risk of inflammation of the bowel in an animal comprising the consumption by the animal of a composition containing beta-casein, or providing the composition to the animal for consumption, wherein the beta-casein comprises at least 50% by weight beta-casein A2.