Appraisal of some ethnic milk products from minor milch animal species around the world: a review

Abstract

Cattle and buffalo are the main species producing milk for human consumption. Minor milch species such as goat, sheep, camel, horse, yak, donkey, and reindeer make up a less significant portion of the total milk supply in the dairy sector as their production share is relatively small. However, in recent years, people have started to recognize the numerous health and nutritional benefits of milk from these minor milch species. There is a rich diversity of traditional dairy products in the world, among which the ethnic products made from the milk of minor dairy species have a solicitous place in their region of origin. The ingredients and composition of these products and the preparation methods impart their characteristic taste and flavour along with their typical nutritional and functional health benefits. Anti-microbial, probiotic, antioxidant, nutraceutical, and other health-promoting qualities are the few benefits of these products. However, lack of research and developmental activities, promotions and advertisements of ethnic milk products of minor milch species have led to their limited awareness among the consumers. In view of the above, the present review attempts to discuss some of the important ethnic milk products around the world from the milk of minor milch species.

Milk and Its Derivatives as Sources of Components and Microorganisms with Health-Promoting Properties: Probiotics and Bioactive Peptides

“…However, buffalo milk has a lower vitamin E and cholesterol; in addition, buffalo milk exhibits a higher buffering capacity (acidification capacity) than bovine milk. Further differences in the nutritional composition of non-bovine milk are reported by several recent studies [15][16][17].…”

“…Consequently, different functional health benefits have been found, e.g., compared to bovine milk, some studies suggest that milks from small ruminants (e.g., goat) cause fewer allergenic reactions due to the protein concentration and polymorphism [16,17]; similarly, conjugated linoleic acid and orotic acid in sheep milk aid the treatment and prevention of type 2 diabetes, cancer, and other diseases [16]. Non-bovine milk products are also good for isolating novel potential probiotics and probiotic carrier candidates [17].…”

Isolation, characterization, and probiotic profiling of amylolytic lactic acid bacteria from Sonadi sheep milk

“…Sheep milk is gaining consumer acceptability as it enhances the absorption of micro-minerals and trace elements, contributing to improved bone structure. Both conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and orotic acid found in sheep's milk play a role in treating and preventing type 2 diabetes, cancer, and various other diseases [14]. There are many reports widely document the presence of microbes in milk, with a signi cant portion of probiotics identi ed in milk samples originating from human or bovine sources [5,20,26].…”