Studies have linked food structure and texture to kinetics of nutrient delivery. Changes in some nutrient release rates, such as for protein and lipids, could induce different physiological effects (e.g., satiety effect, reduction of postprandial lipemia). Examples will be presented to showcase the contribution of dairy food structure, as found in yogurt and cheese, on nutrient release rates. The impact of the casein:whey protein ratio or fiber addition on digestion kinetics of protein, and subsequently, satiety, was examined in one study. A static in vitro digestion model was used on experimental yogurts differing in the casein-to-whey protein ratio (C:W) or dietary fiber content. Healthy men (20) consumed the 5 isocaloric/isoproteinemic yogurt snacks previously studied. Ad libitum food intake was monitored 2.5 h post-snack consumption. A human clinical trial revealed that yogurt formulation with increased whey protein content significantly reduced subsequent energy intake compared with the control, and increased satiety. This result was linked to a slower in vitro disintegration rate. Soluble protein release for yogurt increased in whey protein whereas no difference was observed for yogurts with fiber. A second study allowed for the discrimination of the effects of cheese attributes on lipid release and absorption. Nine commercial cheeses were digested in vitro and 2 were selected for an in vivo study. Healthy women/men (43) ingested 33 g of fat from cheddar, cream cheese or butter, incorporated in a standardized meal. Plasma concentrations of triglycerides (TG) were measured before the meal and at 2, 4, 6 and 8 h. At the end of the in vitro gastric digestion, cheddar and cream cheese showed different disintegration, attributed to the texture and manufacturing processes. The in vivo study revealed that cream cheese, but not cheddar, induced a more important increase in TG concentrations than the butter (Δ vs baseline: +44% vs +24%, P = 0.002) at 2 h. These studies demonstrate that the dairy food matrix per se modulates nutritional properties. Studies published on this topic will be included to put into perspective the role of the dairy food matrix on nutrient release, the physiological effects, and how this can be compared with other foods.