The neglected nutrigenomics of milk: What is the role of inter-species transfer of small non-coding RNA?

The characterization of small non-coding RNA (sncRNA) in food has become part of the field of nutrigenomics. Milk contains sncRNA that are protected by extracellular vesicles which makes them resistant to digestive processes and possibly absorbable by the human gut. Due to the high conservation of sncRNA, these molecules might mediate inter-species gene expression regulations, opening numerous applications in the field of human nutrition. These include the modulation of sncRNA milk profile through diet, both in humans and dairy animals, livestock rearing methods, food technology, but also the production of infant formulas or the usage of sncRNA as biomarkers. SncRNA contained in milk might contribute to the elucidation of the long-term effects of milk consumption in the human diet, confirming the application of nutrigenomics in both health promotion and food production areas. The main aim of this review is to introduce this aspect of nutrigenomics, showing both promising aspects and pitfalls.