Milk and its derivatives are vital globally, especially in agrarian countries like India, providing essential nutrients and cultural value. While human breast milk is ideal for infants, donkey milk serves as a suitable alternative when breast milk is unavailable. Donkey milk is recognized for its "pharma food" status due to its functional, nutraceutical, and nutritional benefits, making it particularly useful for children allergic to cow's milk. It is valued for its antimicrobial properties, including antibacterial effects from whey proteins (lactoferrin and lysozyme), fatty acids, and immunoglobulins. Additionally, donkey milk shows antiviral properties linked to lactoferrin and other components. This paper emphasizes donkey milk's therapeutic benefits and its potential as a substitute for human milk.
The views expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect the views of IDA. Any article or news item published in this journal may not be reproduced without prior permission.