Milk from Minor Dairy Animals: Chemical Constituents, Processing Characteristics and Nutritional Benefits—2nd Edition

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Dairy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 78

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Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, 17 Qinghuadong Road, Beijing 100083, China
Interests: dairy Science and technology; sensory analysis; low fat; low sugar; nutrient delivery
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Milk is one of the most nutritionally complete foods. It contains all of the nutrients necessary to sustain the life of neonates and young infants and adds quality to the human diet. Cow milk accounts for about 80% of global milk production. However, milk from non-cow animal species, such as sheep, goat, buffalo, yak, camel, donkey, mare, reindeer, and pig, is nutritionally and economically important in several countries. Milk from these species is frequently transformed into specialty dairy products, with different types of products manufactured worldwide from non-cow milk. The worldwide production of non-cow milk increased by about 340% from 1981 to 2021, while cow milk production increased by only 105% during the same period. However, in parallel to the marked increase in milk production, scientific knowledge around non-cow milk and its derived dairy products has surged during the last decade. This Special Issue seeks original manuscripts that cover the chemical constituents, processing characteristics, and nutritional benefits of non-cow milk products.

Dr. Pengjie Wang
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • non-cow milk
  • chemical constituents
  • nutritional benefits
  • processing characteristics
  • goat or sheep milk
  • buffalo milk
  • yak milk
  • flavor

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

21 pages, 3693 KiB  
Article
Non-Targeted Lipidomics Analysis of Characteristic Milk Using High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS)
by Tingting Wei, Tianxiao Zhou, Shenping Zhang, Zhexue Quan and Yang Liu
Foods 2025, 14(12), 2068; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14122068 - 12 Jun 2025
Abstract
Milk lipids are fundamental to the nutritional quality, functional properties, and processing behavior of dairy products. In this study, we employed an untargeted lipidomics approach based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) to systematically characterize the lipid [...] Read more.
Milk lipids are fundamental to the nutritional quality, functional properties, and processing behavior of dairy products. In this study, we employed an untargeted lipidomics approach based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) to systematically characterize the lipid profiles of ten milk types from eight animal species, including camel, mare, donkey, goat, buffalo, yak, Jersey, and Holstein. A total of 640 lipid species were identified, spanning triglycerides (TGs), phospholipids (PLs), sphingolipids (SPs), ceramides (Cer), wax esters (WEs), and other subclasses. A statistical analysis revealed significant differences in lipid types and abundances among the milk samples. Camel milk exhibited the highest lipid diversity, with notable enrichment in phospholipids and sphingolipids, conferring superior emulsifying properties and stability. Mare milk was rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid, making it ideal for developing health-focused dairy products. Despite having the lowest total lipid content, donkey milk was enriched in cholesterol esters and PUFA, suitable for low-fat functional dairy products. Goat milk featured a balanced lipid composition with higher levels of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), promoting digestibility. Buffalo milk was characterized by high TG and wax ester (WE) levels, offering high energy density and suitability for rich dairy products. Yak milk contained higher levels of ceramides (Cer) and saturated fatty acids, reflecting adaptations to high-altitude environments. Jersey milk and Holstein milk displayed similar lipid profiles, with stable compositions suitable for versatile dairy product development. Principal component analysis (PCA), hierarchical clustering, and volcano plot analyses further confirmed species-specific lipidomic signatures and revealed several potential lipid biomarkers, such as LPC (O-16:0) in Hongyuan yak milk, suggesting applications in geographical indication (GI) traceability. This study offers a comprehensive lipidomic landscape across diverse milk sources, providing molecular insights to guide the development of tailored, functional, and regionally branded dairy products. Full article
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