TOTAL VIEWS: 997
Since antiquity, milk has been consumed by people of all religions throughout the world. Milk is an important source of essential nutrients that are required to human beings for maintaining good health. Yak milk's distinctive composition and high nutritional value make it potentially beneficial for a wide range of medical conditions. It is an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, vital fatty acids, and protein, all of which improve general health and well-being. Scientific research has demonstrated that yak milk includes peptides that have antihypertensive qualities, suggesting possible treatment advantages for hypertension. The antioxidant qualities of yak milk have also been demonstrated to help shield against oxidative stress and the health issues it may bring about. Additionally, the fat derived from it has higher concentrations of heart-healthy fats, like omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid, which have been connected to many health benefits, such as a decrease in inflammation, support for heart health, and improvement of cognitive function. Therefore, the objective of this review is to highlight the nutritional profile, chemical composition, and health benefits of yak milk.
[1] Pal, M. (2017). Nutritional and medicinal value of camel milk. Food and Beverages Processing, 3: 20-22.
[2] Pal, M., Dudhrejiya, T. P. and Pintoo, S. (2017). Goat milk products and their significance. Beverage and Food World, 44: 21-25.
[3] Patel, D., Peento, S. and Pal, M. (2021). Nutritional profile and potential health benefits of donkey milk and milk products. EC Veterinary Science, 6: 32-42.
[4] Groeneveld, L. F., Lenstra, J. A., Eding, H., Toro, M. A., Scherf, B., Pilling, D., and Globaldiv Consortium. (2010). Genetic diversity in farm animals—a review. Animal Genetics, 41: 6-31.
[5] Bauman, D. E. and Griinari, J. M. (2003). Nutritional regulation of milk fat synthesis. Annual Review of Nutrition, 23 (1): 203-227.
[6] Singh, T. P., Arora, S. and Sarkar, M. (2023). Yak milk and milk products: Functional, bioactive constituents and therapeutic potential. International Dairy Journal, 105637. doi:10.1016/i.dairyj2023.105637.
[7] Dehinenet, G., Mekonnen, H., Ashenafi, M., and Emmanuelle, G. (2013). Determinants of raw milk quality under a smallholder production system in selected areas of Amhara and Oromia National Regional States, Ethiopia. Agriculture and Biology Journal of North America, 4(1): 84-90.
[8] Dong, S., Long, R. and Kang, M. (2007). Milking performance of China yak (Bos grunniens): A preliminary report. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 2(3): 52-57.
[9] Yu, Q., Han, L., Jiang, Y., Chen, Q., and Shen, H. (2005). Analysis of the nutritional components and flavorous substances of white yak's milk. Acta Nutrimenta Sinica, 27 (4): 333-335.
[10] Guo, X., Long, R., Kreuzer, M., Ding, L., Shang, Z., Zhang, Y., and Cui, G. (2014). Importance of functional ingredients in yak milk-derived food on health of Tibetan nomads living under high-altitude stress: a review. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 54 (3): 292-302.
[11] Wang, D., Zhou, Y., Zheng, X., Guo, J., Duan, H., Zhou, S. and Yan, W. (2023). Yak milk: Nutritional value, functional activity, and current applications. Foods, 12(11): 2090.
[12] Wang, K. U. N., Hu, Q., Ma, H. U. I., Wang, L., Yang, Y., Luo, W., and Qiu, Q. (2014). Genome‐wide variation within and between wild and domestic yak. Molecular Ecology Resources, 14 (4): 794-801.
[13] Li, H., Ma, Y., Li, Q., Wang, J., Cheng, J., Xue, J., and Shi, J. (2011). The chemical composition and nitrogen distribution of Chinese yak (Maiwa) milk. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 12 (8): 4885-4895.
[14] Zhong, J., Chen, Z., Zhao, S., and Xiao, Y. (2006). Classification of ecological types of the Chinese yak. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 26 (7): 2068-2072.
[15] Dai, W., Chen, Y., Wu, L., Wang, J., Liu, W., and Wu, J. (2018). The compositional and functional characteristics of yak milk protein: a comparison with cow's milk. Food Chemistry, 9: 242: 440.
[16] Abedin, M. M., Chourasia, R., Phukon, L. C., Singh, S. P., and Rai, A. K. (2022). Characterization of ACE inhibitory and anti-oxidant peptides in yak and cow milk hard chhurpi cheese of the Sikkim Himalayan region. Food Chemistry, 13: 100231.
[17] Fantuz, F., Salimei, E., and Papademas, P. (2016). Macro-and micronutrients in non-cow milk and products and their impact on human health. In Non-bovine milk and milk products Tsakalidou, E. and Papadimitriou, K. (Eds.). Academic Press. Pp. 209-261.
[18] Li, H., Ma, Y., Dong, A., Wang, J., Li, Q., He, S., and Maubois, J. L. (2010). Protein composition of yak milk. Dairy Science and Technology, 90 (1): 111-117.
[19] Kalwar, Q., Ma, X., Xi, B., Korejo, R. A., Bhuptani, D. K., Chu, M. and Yan, P. (2023). Yak milk and its health benefits: a comprehensive review. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 10: 1213039. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1213039.
[20] Silanikove, N., Leitner, G., and Merin, U. (2016). Influence of animal health, breed, and diet on non-cow milk composition. Non-bovine milk and milk products, Tsakalidou, E. and Papadimitriou, K. (Eds.), Academic Press. Pp. 61-79.
[21] Wang, F., Chen, M., Luo, R., Huang, G., Wu, X., Zheng, N., and Wang, J. (2022). Fatty acid profiles of milk from Holstein cows, Jersey cows, buffalos, yaks, humans, goats, camels, and donkeys based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Journal of Dairy Science, 105 (2): 1687-1700.
[22] Yu, J., Wang, X., Li, Y., Li, G., Li, X., and Zhao, X. (2011). Composition and physicochemical properties of yak milk casein during lactation. International Dairy Journal, 21:575-577.
[23] Franceschi, P., Sun, W., Malacarne, M., Luo, Y., Formaggioni, P., Martuzzi, F., and Summer, A. (2023). Distribution of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium in Yak (Bos grunniens) milk from the Qinghai Plateau in China. Foods, 12(7): 1413.
[24] Li, H., Ma, Y., Li, Q., Wang, J., Cheng, J., Xue, J., and Shi, J. (2011). The chemical composition and nitrogen distribution of Chinese yak (Maiwa) milk. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 12(8): 4885-4895.
[25] Ma, Y., He, S., and Park, Y.W. (2017). Yak Milk. In Handbook of Milk of Non-Bovine Mammals; John Wiley & Sons: Hoboken, NJ, USA, 2017; pp. 481-513.
[26] Yang, L., Yang, C., Chi, F., Gu, X. and Zhu, Y. (2021). A survey of the vitamin and mineral content in milk from yaks raised at different altitudes. International Journal of Food Science, 2021:1:5. doi: 10.1155/2021/1855149.
[27] Qu, S., Barrett-Wilt, G., Fonseca, L. M. and Rankin, S. A. (2016). A profile of sphingolipids and related compounds tentatively identified in yak milk. Journal of Dairy Science, 99 (7): 5083-5092.
[28] Zheng, J., Du, M., Jiang, W., Zhang, J., Shen, W., Ma, X., and Ding, X. (2021). In vitro probiotic characteristics and whole genome sequence analysis of lactobacillus strains isolated from cattle-yak milk. Biology, 11(1): 44.
[29] Li, W., Huang, W., Ma, Y., Muhammad, I., Hanif, A., Ding, Z., and Guo, X. (2022). Antioxidant properties of lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional fermented yak milk and their probiotic effects on the oxidative senescence of Caenorhabditis elegans. Food and Function, 13(6): 3690-3703.
[30] Nag, D., Goel, A., Padwad, Y., and Singh, D. (2023). In vitro characterisation revealed Himalayan dairy kluyveromyces marxianus PCH397 as potential probiotic with therapeutic properties. Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins, 15(3): 761-773.
Nutritional Profile, Chemical Composition, and Health Benefits of Yak Milk
How to cite this paper: Mahendra Pal, Suneeta Pinto, Tesfaye Rebuma, Motuma Regassa, Getahun Berhanu. (2024) Nutritional Profile, Chemical Composition, and Health Benefits of Yak Milk. International Journal of Food Science and Agriculture, 8(2), 75-79.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/ijfsa.2024.06.004