Swiss food testing company SwissDeCode has launched a new label to improve consumer trust in A2 milk products.

The 'A2 INSIDE' marque is intended to help the end consumer clearly identify the efforts of dairy producers in guaranteeing authentic A2 milk products, and will be used by companies who analyse their herds and milk batches with the DNA tests supplied by SwissDeCode.

Batches of milk or milk from cows that tested negative for the presence of the A1 beta-casein can bear the A2 INSIDE label, which can be accompanied by a QR Code. When scanned, this code leads the consumer to a dedicated website explaining the concept of A2 milk and the testing process that cows and milk went through in order to receive the accreditation.

In addition, SwissDeCode will coordinate promotional campaigns with the members of the program, so they can distinctly demonstrate their commitment to providing authentic products, increasing credibility, trust and brand recognition, not merely in the eyes of the consumer, but also with business partners and stakeholders.

But what is A2 milk? Milk beta-casein can be of mainly two types: A1 and A2, with A2 milk containing only the A2 type. Originally, all cows carried the A2 beta-casein gene exclusively, but over time they underwent a genetic mutation, which resulted in a different version of the beta-casein gene that codes for the A1 beta-casein type. Migration and modern farming resulted in the spread of this genetic mutation, which led to a mixed cattle population that can produce A1, A2 or both types of beta-casein.

Dairy companies worldwide are motivated to produce A2 milk to respond to the consumer demand for a perceived healthier alternative to conventional dairy.