Vitamins in Human and Donkey Milk: Functional and Nutritional Role

Background: Whole milk is a good source of all the nutrients, and it also contains a sufficient number of vitamins to permit regular the growth of the neonate. Dairy cow milk can create allergy in infants less than 12 months old because of the high caseins and β-lactoglobulin content. In these circu...

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Main Authors: Silvia Vincenzetti, Giuseppe Santini, Valeria Polzonetti, Stefania Pucciarelli, Yulia Klimanova, Paolo Polidori
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-04-01
Series:Nutrients
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/5/1509
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author Silvia Vincenzetti
Giuseppe Santini
Valeria Polzonetti
Stefania Pucciarelli
Yulia Klimanova
Paolo Polidori
author_facet Silvia Vincenzetti
Giuseppe Santini
Valeria Polzonetti
Stefania Pucciarelli
Yulia Klimanova
Paolo Polidori
author_sort Silvia Vincenzetti
collection DOAJ
description Background: Whole milk is a good source of all the nutrients, and it also contains a sufficient number of vitamins to permit regular the growth of the neonate. Dairy cow milk can create allergy in infants less than 12 months old because of the high caseins and β-lactoglobulin content. In these circumstances, donkey milk can represent a good replacement for dairy cows’ milk in children affected by Cow Milk Protein Allergy (CMPA) because of its close chemical composition with human milk, mainly due to its low protein and low mineral content. Milk vitamin content is highly variable among mammalian species and it is strictly correlated with the vitamin status and the diet administered to the mother. Fat-soluble vitamins content in donkey milk is, on average, lower compared to ruminants’ milk, while vitamin C content determined in donkey milk is higher compared to dairy cows’ milk, showing a great similarity with human milk. In donkey milk, the content of vitamins of the B-complex such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, and folic acid is higher compared to human milk. The use of donkey milk as a new functional food must be further evaluated in interdisciplinary clinical trials in which pediatricians, dietitians, and food scientists must be involved to deepen the knowledge about the positive health impact of donkey milk in different sensitive people, especially children and the elderly.
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spelling doaj.art-a74d0c98422e474c84a337e0c6741bc22023-11-21T17:49:41ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432021-04-01135150910.3390/nu13051509Vitamins in Human and Donkey Milk: Functional and Nutritional RoleSilvia Vincenzetti0Giuseppe Santini1Valeria Polzonetti2Stefania Pucciarelli3Yulia Klimanova4Paolo Polidori5School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, ItalySchool of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, ItalySchool of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, ItalySchool of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, ItalySchool of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, ItalySchool of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, ItalyBackground: Whole milk is a good source of all the nutrients, and it also contains a sufficient number of vitamins to permit regular the growth of the neonate. Dairy cow milk can create allergy in infants less than 12 months old because of the high caseins and β-lactoglobulin content. In these circumstances, donkey milk can represent a good replacement for dairy cows’ milk in children affected by Cow Milk Protein Allergy (CMPA) because of its close chemical composition with human milk, mainly due to its low protein and low mineral content. Milk vitamin content is highly variable among mammalian species and it is strictly correlated with the vitamin status and the diet administered to the mother. Fat-soluble vitamins content in donkey milk is, on average, lower compared to ruminants’ milk, while vitamin C content determined in donkey milk is higher compared to dairy cows’ milk, showing a great similarity with human milk. In donkey milk, the content of vitamins of the B-complex such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, and folic acid is higher compared to human milk. The use of donkey milk as a new functional food must be further evaluated in interdisciplinary clinical trials in which pediatricians, dietitians, and food scientists must be involved to deepen the knowledge about the positive health impact of donkey milk in different sensitive people, especially children and the elderly.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/5/1509vitaminsdonkey milkhuman milkvitamins deficiencyfortified foods
spellingShingle Silvia Vincenzetti
Giuseppe Santini
Valeria Polzonetti
Stefania Pucciarelli
Yulia Klimanova
Paolo Polidori
Vitamins in Human and Donkey Milk: Functional and Nutritional Role
Nutrients
vitamins
donkey milk
human milk
vitamins deficiency
fortified foods
title Vitamins in Human and Donkey Milk: Functional and Nutritional Role
title_full Vitamins in Human and Donkey Milk: Functional and Nutritional Role
title_fullStr Vitamins in Human and Donkey Milk: Functional and Nutritional Role
title_full_unstemmed Vitamins in Human and Donkey Milk: Functional and Nutritional Role
title_short Vitamins in Human and Donkey Milk: Functional and Nutritional Role
title_sort vitamins in human and donkey milk functional and nutritional role
topic vitamins
donkey milk
human milk
vitamins deficiency
fortified foods
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/5/1509
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