Health benefits and value addition of bovine colostrum (BC): a comprehensive review of its nutritional and functional potential

The present review tries to explore composition, processing technologies, bioactive components, and clinical applications of BC, laying especial emphasis on their nutritional and therapeutic potentials. BC is highly bioactive secretion enriched with macronutrients and a wide spectrum of bio-functional molecules such as immunoglobulin (IgG, IgA, and IgM), lactoferrin, growth factors (IGF-1, TGF-β), proline-rich polypeptides, cytokines, and bioactive peptides. These mutually act in immune modulation, gastrointestinal integrity, epithelial repair, and antimicrobial defense. Advanced processing technologies, such as freeze-drying, spray-drying, and low-temperature vacuum drying, are important for maintaining structural stability and ensuring the biological activity of heat-sensitive immunoglobulins, peptides, and probiotics that assure extended shelf life and industrial scalability. Recent knowledge in omics-based proteomics and transcriptomic has unraveled new components like microRNAs, osteopontin, milk fat globule membrane proteins, and lactoperoxidase, which have come to bear upon a critical role in the regulation of immune response, epithelial protection, and anti-inflammatory signaling. These molecular understandings of BC bring its functionality as an active therapeutic ingredient for clinical nutrition, sports recovery, and management of conditions where immune fitness is compromised. Clinical evidence has established the effectiveness of BC in soothing irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, infectious diarrhea, metabolic dysfunction, regeneration of tissues, wound healing, and anti-aging properties. BC applications continue into functional foods, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceutical formulations, and currently, new and innovative encapsulation and delivery systems are being developed, which enhance its bioavailability and targeting activities. In this context, bovine colostrum is emerging as an attractive bio-functional ingredient for an expanding application in human health and with commercial viability, considering present consumers’ trends toward natural products with immune-enhancing and regenerative features.