Donkey milk: An overview on functionality, technology, and future prospects

ABSTRACT

Milks from nontraditional animal species (i.e., donkey, camel, and buffalo) are recently gaining momentum mainly due to the fact that they are considered suitable to supplement the needs of special population groups (i.e., infants, the elderly). Research on donkey milk has dramatically increased over the past few years; therefore, this review aims to critically summarize the current research, offering an insight into its unique functional properties, namely, antimicrobial activity, immunomodulation, and hypoallergenicity, especially highlighting their effect on human health. The microbiological and chemical safety, the nutritional profile, and donkey milk’s technology are also discussed. Moreover, new promising research grounds are proposed to be explored in order to add to existing knowledge.

KEYWORDS:

• Antibacterial activity
• bioactivity
• donkey milk
• fermentation
• functional foods
• health benefits
• lysozyme