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Animals
Special Issues
Donkey Milk: Nutritional Potential, Safety, and Novel Applications
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Donkey Milk: Nutritional Potential, Safety, and Novel Applications

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Equids".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 October 2026 | Viewed by 605

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Dragana Ljubojević Pelić

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Guest Editor
Department of Food Safety, Scientific Veterinary Institute “Novi Sad”, Novi Sad, Serbia
Interests: the safety and quality of food of animal origin
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Milica Živkov Baloš

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemical and Radiological Examination, Scientific Veterinary Institute “Novi Sad”, Novi Sad, Serbia
Interests: the safety and quality of food of animal origin; the safety and quality of feed
Dr. Suzana Vidaković Knežević

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Food Safety, Scientific Veterinary Institute “Novi Sad”, Novi Sad, Serbia
Interests: the safety and quality of food of animal origin

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Donkey milk has long been known to have nutritional benefits for humans, but it has only become the subject of growing scientific interest in recent years. Donkey milk is recognized as a valuable nutritional source, particularly for sensitive population groups. It is often considered as an alternative to cow’s milk in infant nutrition and may also play an important role in the diets of convalescents and the elderly. However, the production of dairy products from donkey milk poses specific technological challenges due to its chemical composition. Thus, there are opportunities for research into innovative processing technologies and novel product development. Furthermore, the antimicrobial properties of donkey milk have been well documented, and it is increasingly used in the pharmaceutical and functional food industries. However, there is limited data on the safety of donkey milk and products derived from it. Research on the health and welfare of donkeys used for milk production is also scarce and therefore greatly needed.

This Special Issue invites authors to submit original research articles, review papers, and short communications covering but not limited to the following topics: nutritional quality and composition of donkey milk; safety assessment of donkey milk and products made from donkey milk; technological challenges and innovations in processing donkey milk; antimicrobial efficacy and functional properties of donkey milk; application in human nutrition, functional foods, and pharmaceutical products; and donkey health, welfare, and management in donkey milk production. We look forward to receiving your contributions that will advance knowledge in this rapidly growing field.

Dr. Dragana Ljubojević Pelić
Dr. Milica Živkov Baloš
Dr. Suzana Vidaković Knežević
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • donkey milk
  • nutritional quality
  • bioactive compounds
  • antimicrobial activity
  • food safety
  • functional foods
  • artisanal food products
  • dairy products/technology
  • donkey welfare

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

19 pages, 1079 KB  
Article
Incorporating Pooled Donkey Milk from Autochthonous Balkan and Banat Donkey Breeds into Traditional Dairy Products: Effects on Technological Properties, Nutritional Profile, and Sensory Acceptability of Podliveni Cheese
by Dragana Ljubojević Pelić, Suzana Vidaković Knežević, Nenad Popov, Slobodan Knežević, Jelena Vranešević, Miloš Pelić and Milica Živkov Baloš
Animals 2026, 16(10), 1449; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16101449 - 9 May 2026
Viewed by 291
Abstract
Podliveni cheese is a traditional fresh cheese produced in Serbia, typically made from fresh cow’s milk. Donkey milk is recognized for its nutritional benefits, particularly its hypoallergenic properties; however, its use in cheese production is partially limited due to its specific protein composition [...] Read more.
Podliveni cheese is a traditional fresh cheese produced in Serbia, typically made from fresh cow’s milk. Donkey milk is recognized for its nutritional benefits, particularly its hypoallergenic properties; however, its use in cheese production is partially limited due to its specific protein composition and low casein content. In addition, information in the scientific literature regarding its application in cheese production remains limited. In this study, Podliveni cheese was produced from raw cow’s milk, while in a second experimental group, 30% milk from autochthonous Balkan and Banat donkey breeds was added to obtain a value-added Podliveni cheese. The selected proportion (30%) was based on previous studies using lower inclusion levels (10% and 20%), which demonstrated measurable but limited effects on cheese properties. The technological production process was identical in both groups and is described for each type of cheese. Microbiological parameters analyzed included total lactic acid bacteria (LAB), Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS), Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes. Sensory analysis was conducted using a five-point hedonic scale with a panel of 21 participants (male and female, aged 20–60 years). The following chemical composition parameters were also evaluated: dry matter, fat content, fat in dry matter, fat-free dry matter, protein, ash, pH, and salt. The content of essential minerals and trace elements was determined, including Ca, P, Na, K, Mg, Zn, Cu, Fe, and the Ca/P ratio. The addition of donkey milk significantly affected curd formation, which required six times longer compared to cheese produced exclusively from raw cow’s milk. Furthermore, the inclusion of donkey milk reduced cheese yield and resulted in increased whey separation during storage, indicating reduced water-holding capacity. No statistically significant differences were observed in microbiological parameters, and pathogenic bacteria (Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes) were not detected in either cheese. No significant differences were observed in most sensory attributes, except for texture. Conversely, the inclusion of donkey milk significantly affected the majority of chemical parameters and the mineral composition of the cheese. The addition of donkey milk resulted in a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in fat, fat in dry matter, fat-free dry matter, Ca, P, K, Zn, Cu content and the Ca/P ratio, while a significant increase (p < 0.05) was observed in dry matter, protein, salt, Na, Mg, and Fe content. The incorporation of donkey milk represents an innovative approach that expands the range of traditional cheeses without compromising the absence of tested pathogenic bacteria and preserving traditional production practices, simultaneously offering new value-added products. Further research is required to better understand the health benefits associated with the inclusion of donkey milk in cheese production. This study contributes to expanding knowledge on the use of donkey milk and supports the conservation of autochthonous breeds and the improvement of human health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Donkey Milk: Nutritional Potential, Safety, and Novel Applications)
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