Equine milk and its potential use in the human diet

Abstract Our objective was to address the use of equine milk for human consumption, highlighting important compositional aspects and peculiar characteristics of this milk. Equine milk stands out for its similarity to breastmilk in compositional aspects considering the quality of the protein and lipid fractions, and due to the presence of important bioactive compounds. The high percentage of whey proteins and the structure of the protein micelles favor equine milk’s digestibility, while its bioactive protein richness and the good relationships established between fatty acids highlight it as a functional food. Children who are allergic to cow's milk protein, the elderly and/or people affected by skin and gastrointestinal disorders are potential consumer of equine milk. Assays have proven the therapeutic properties of koumiss ; high tolerability of equine milk by children who are intolerant to cow’s milk; beneficial effects in treating atopic dermatitis and chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract; and potential of this milk in the prophylaxis and/or nutritional support of patients affected by several diseases. Scientific findings highlight the potential of equine milk as a beneficial food for human health, regarding both its nutritional aspects and functionalities, which could contribute to the increased demand for equine milk in global dairy market.摘要 本研究旨在探讨马乳（equine milk）供人类食用的应用价值，重点阐明其关键组成特征与独特属性。马乳在蛋白质与脂质组分的品质层面与母乳的组成特征高度相似，且富含多种重要生物活性化合物，因此脱颖而出。马乳中高占比的乳清蛋白与蛋白质胶束结构提升了其消化吸收率；同时其丰富的生物活性蛋白组分，以及脂肪酸间的合理配比，使其成为一款优质功能性食品。对牛乳蛋白过敏的儿童、老年人，以及患有皮肤或胃肠道疾病的人群，均为马乳的潜在消费群体。多项实验已证实酸马奶（koumiss）的治疗功效；马乳对牛乳蛋白不耐受儿童具有极高的耐受性；其在治疗特应性皮炎与胃肠道慢性疾病方面具有积极效果；同时该乳在多种疾病患者的预防及/或营养支持中具备应用潜力。现有科学研究结果表明，无论从营养组分还是功能特性来看，马乳均是有益于人类健康的食品，这或将推动全球乳制品市场对马乳的需求进一步增长。