Donkey milk research · Study 203

Why donkey milk proteins differ: a molecular review of allergenic potential

The review summarises mass spectrometry studies on donkey milk proteins. The authors explain the lower allergenic potential compared with cow milk by three features: low total protein content, a low ratio of caseins to whey proteins and multiple amino acid differences in almost all known IgE-binding sites of cow milk proteins. The paper contains no research of its own in humans.

Important: A review of protein structures. It contains no research of its own in humans and does not prove that donkey milk is tolerated in cow milk allergy. Whether donkey milk is tolerated in cow milk allergy cannot be derived from a review – this requires medical assessment. Donkey milk is not a substitute for breast milk or infant formula; infant feeding belongs in medical hands.

At a glance · swipe or use the arrows

The key figures

3explanations offered by the authors

MSmass spectrometry as data basis

~10 yearsof research reviewed (“last decade”)

Caseinscloser to human than to cow, per the authors

IgEbinding sites of allergy antibodies compared

0own studies in humans

17pages of review (41–57)

6authors

2017year of publication

Study design

How it was studied

Review by a group at the Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania (Italy). It summarises studies from roughly the past ten years that characterised donkey milk proteins using mass spectrometry, in particular their primary structure (amino acid sequence), as well as bioactive peptides. Donkey milk proteins are compared with the corresponding proteins in human and cow milk. Assessed based on the abstract; the full text was not available to the editorial team. The number and selection of included studies, the search strategy and the individual sequence comparisons are therefore not known.

Laboratory study

Study typeReviewCountryItalyYear2017JournalFood Res Int

Results

What the study measured

The authors summarise mass spectrometry studies from roughly the past ten years on the structure of donkey milk proteins.

According to the authors, donkey milk proteins, especially the caseins, are structurally more similar to the corresponding human milk proteins than to cow milk proteins.

The authors attribute the lower allergenic potential compared with cow milk to three features: low total protein content, a low ratio of caseins to whey proteins and multiple amino acid differences in almost all linear IgE-binding sites (epitopes) of cow milk proteins.

In the background, the authors refer to clinical trials suggesting that donkey milk – with added fat – may be an option for children with cow milk allergy. These trials were not assessed here; we derive no recommendation from them.

The paper also covers bioactive peptides from donkey milk. The abstract gives no specific findings on these.

Authors’ conclusion: According to the authors, the structural data now available provide a molecular explanation for why donkey milk is less allergenic than cow milk. The paper shows differences in protein structures, not that a particular person tolerates donkey milk. Whether donkey milk is tolerated in cow milk allergy cannot be derived from a review – this requires medical assessment.

Critical appraisal

Strengths and limitations

Review, not an original studyClear limitation

The paper summarises existing data. How studies were selected and how robust they are cannot be judged from the abstract.

Structure is not tolerabilityClear limitation

Differences in IgE-binding sites are a laboratory finding. Whether a person with cow milk allergy reacts to donkey milk can only be checked medically.

Evaluative wordingNote

The abstract speaks of “legendary therapeutic properties”. We do not adopt this characterisation; it goes beyond the data summarised.

Lysozyme as a possible allergenNote

A later paper describes lysozyme, which is abundant in donkey milk, as an allergen (Martini et al., Clinical & Experimental Allergy 2018). Donkey milk is therefore not free of allergenic proteins.

Molecular data basisStrength

The paper relies on sequence data from mass spectrometry and compares specific binding sites rather than just total contents.

clear limitationnotestrength

Editorial note: The review clearly explains how donkey milk proteins differ from cow milk proteins. No statement on individual tolerability can be derived from it, and the authors’ evaluative wording goes beyond the data. Whether donkey milk is tolerated in cow milk allergy cannot be derived from a review – this requires medical assessment. To the research archive.

Research question for DON DONKEY’S®

Can the protein fractions of our donkey milk – total protein, casein-to-whey ratio and lysozyme – be analysed per batch and shown transparently on the certificate of analysis?

ReviewProteinsAllergy

Original publication

Proteins and bioactive peptides from donkey milk: The molecular basis for its reduced allergenic properties

Original title: Proteins and bioactive peptides from donkey milk: The molecular basis for its reduced allergenic properties

Cunsolo V., Saletti R., Muccilli V., Gallina S., Di Francesco A., Foti S.
Food Research International · 2017 · 99(Pt 1), 41–57

Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Italy (according to the paper)

DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2017.07.002

Transparency: the paper is indexed as “Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov’t”; funders and conflicts of interest could not be checked from the abstract. No product-related statement for DON DONKEY’S®.

Summarised and checked by the DON DONKEY’S editorial team against the original publication · As of: November 2026

End of the study summary

Note on our products

The study summarised above was carried out independently of DON DONKEY’S® and does not relate to our products. It serves solely to inform about the state of research.

DON DONKEY’S® donkey milk and donkey milk powder are foods. They are not intended to prevent, treat or cure any disease and do not replace medical advice.

From our shop

DON DONKEY’S® donkey milk

100 % donkey milk · raw milk, frozen

On this page we report the findings of a published study. Independently of that, you will find our donkey milk here: 100 % donkey milk, frozen as raw milk.

Transparency: The study examined milk from another herd – not the milk from our partner farms.

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100 ml bottle / 100ml · Unit price: €249,00 / 1 l · incl. VAT, plus shipping

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Also in our shop

Donkey Milk Powder

Donkey milk in powder form

For anyone who prefers a longer shelf life: our donkey milk in powder form – easy to store and portion.

Transparency: The study did not examine our donkey milk powder.