Otago University's department of human nutrition has initiated a scientific study to determine if A2 milk and cheese lowers cholesterol levels.
A2 milk is promoted by AX-listed A2 Corporation, which owns and licenses intellectual property that enables the identification of cattle producing milk with A2 protein. The company says A2 is
a "less risky" alternative to normal milk with A1 casein or a mix of A1 and A2.
Professor Jim Mann, the head of the university's human nutrition department, said the study was designed to verify or discredit the health claims of A2 milk.
The company has claimed A2 milk will not give consumers heart disease, autism and some types of diabetes - or, rather, that the conventional milk containing A1 protein can trigger such illnesses.
About 70 per cent of the national dairy herd produces milk containing some A1 protein.
Dr Rachel Brown is conducting the study. Half the people in the study will consume A1 milk and cheese for four weeks and half A2 before switching milk type for another four weeks. They will have their cholesterol measured at the start, after four weeks and again at the end.
- NZPA
