Impact of non-bovine milks and milk products on human gut microbiota: A perspective towards sustainable healthy food production

Abstract

Background: Non-bovine milks and its products have been reported to provide exceptional nutritional properties and have lower allergenicity compared to bovine milk. Non-bovine milks contain substantial quantities of oligosaccharides, proteins, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive peptides. Furthermore, bioactive compounds present in non-bovine milks have been reported to enhance the human body's defense system and modulate gut microbiota. As with bovine milk, the biochemical composition of non-bovine milks varies depending on the animal breed, age, season, feed type, and environmental conditions. Scope and approach: This review investigated non-bovine milk from goat, sheep, camel, mare, and donkeys and their nutritional composition. Special emphasis has been given to the effects of non-bovine milks on the human gut microbiome and their contribution to well-being. Finally, the conclusion and future research directions on the evaluation of non-bovine milks on human gut microbiota are outlined. Key findings and conclusions: The results indicated that the non-bovine milks can be used to produce various dairy products which are an alternative to bovine milk. Furthermore, non-bovine milks have been reported to enhance health-promoting bacteria, while suppressing infection-causing bacteria in the human gut microbiota. Therefore, non-bovine milks should be promoted worldwide as a healthy alternative to conventional bovine milk and more critical research is needed to explore the optimal potential of non-bovine milks.