Milk Fat Globule Membrane: Structural Organization, Bioactive Constituents, and Therapeutic Applications

The milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) wraps around the surface of the milk fat globule, separating the internal lipid core from the external environment. MFGM is a complex trilayer membrane structure composed of polar lipids, sphingolipids, and functional proteins. In recent years, research on the biological characteristics of MFGM has been continuously deepening. It has triggered an exploration of the relationship between MFGM composition, structure, and functional mechanisms. This reveals the potential applications of MFGM in human health and production practices. This review systematically summarizes the composition and structure of MFGM, extraction and preparation techniques, functional mechanisms and the latest research progress in its applications in various fields. This study comprehensively compares the application scope of the MFGM extraction preparation technology. The mechanism of the biological activity of MFGM was further analyzed. Its application value in infant formula, dairy processing, functional foods, drug delivery systems, and cosmetics was evaluated. Nowadays, existing research needs to face numerous challenges, such as some components being unknown and the functional mechanisms not being clear enough. In the future, it is still essential to continuously pay attention to the research progress of MFGM. Further research is needed to accelerate the transformation of MFGM from by-products of dairy processing to multifunctional biomaterials. The purpose is to fully tap its enormous potential in nutrition, health care, and application fields.