Volume 50, April 2015, Pages 230–235
Highlights
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- A survey of the donkey milk (DM) farms in Piedmont, Italy, was performed.
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- DM presented a mean protein content of 1.5% and mean fat content lower than 0.1%.
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- Microbiological profiles differed among farms and milking practices.
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- Bacillus cereus was detected in one of the farms.
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- Data were used for laying down of regional regulation of DM production.
Abstract
There
is a growing interest in donkey's milk as food for sensitive consumers,
such as infants with cow's milk protein allergy and elderly people. The
aim of this study was to carry out a survey on the dairy donkeys
farming in Piedmont, Italy. The research was conducted in order to
analyze the farm characteristics as well as the chemical and
microbiological quality of milk. All the farms were small-sized,
family-run, and, in most cases, animals were farmed semi-extensively.
The donkey milk from Piedmont farms was characterized by a protein
content around 1.5 g/100 mL and a fat content lower than 0.1 g/100 mL.
Lysozyme activity was considerably higher than that reported in raw cow
milk. The milk microbiological profile greatly differed among the farms.
Milk sampled in the farm that performed hand milking showed total
viable counts significantly lower than milk collected in the farms
equipped with automatic milking. Samples were tested for several
pathogens and negative results were observed, except for the detection
of Bacillus cereus in one sample. The survey provided useful
data for the laying down of recent regional regulation for the
production and commercialization of donkey's milk. The results of the
survey indicate that further research is needed in order to define the
best management and nutritional strategies for the improvement of the
quali-quantitative production of dairy donkeys.
Keywords
- Donkey farming;
- Donkey milk;
- Microbiological quality;
- Protein profile;
- Lysozyme
Abbreviations
- DM, donkey milk;
- LAB, lactic acid bacteria;
- PVDF, polyvinylidene fluoride;
- TVC, total viable count
- Corresponding author. Tel.:
+39 011 670 9231; fax: +39 011 670 9297.
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