Vitamins in Milk and Milk Products

Vitamins play an important role in intermediary metabolism as co-factors in numerous enzymatic reactions or in non-enzymatic physiological functions such as the visual process (vitamin A), as antioxidants (carotenoids, vitamins E, C, and riboflavin), in regulation of calcium metabolism (vitamin D) and in haematopoiesis (vitamin B12, folates and vitamin B6). Although research in the last few decades has in most cases been focused merely on deficiencies in order to establish requirements, development of diagnosis, etc., there is now a renewed interest in the role of vitamins in the maintenance of health. Recognition of the prominent role of some vitamins as antioxidants, in cell proliferation/differentiation, and in immune function has shed new light on the importance of these essential nutrients in the prevention of many chronic diseases, e.g. coronary heart disease, cancer and other immunorelated diseases (van den Berg et al., 1993).