Geographical Variation in the Mineral Profiles of Camel Milk from Xinjiang: Implications for Nutritional Value and Species Identification

Qiaoye Yang, Luhan Xu, Weihua Zheng, Delinu’er Baisanbieke, Lin Zhu, Mireguli Yimamu and Fengming Li ()
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Qiaoye Yang: College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China
Luhan Xu: College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China
Weihua Zheng: Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Urumqi 830091, China
Delinu’er Baisanbieke: College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China
Lin Zhu: College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China
Mireguli Yimamu: College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China
Fengming Li: College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 20, 1-15

Abstract: To investigate the geographical and species differences regarding mineral element content of camel milk, this research used camel milk from the Tacheng, Altay, and Ili regions of Xinjiang and cow milk, goat milk, and horse milk from the Tacheng region as subjects. The contents of 22 mineral elements were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The results showed that the contents of macro elements Ca, P, K, and Na in camel milk were significantly higher than those in other milk sources ( p < 0.01). The contents of trace elements such as Se, Sr, and Ni were very significantly higher than those in other milk sources ( p < 0.01). The content of 12 mineral elements in camel milk was very significantly higher than in other types of milk ( p < 0.01). Principal component analysis (PCA) and factor analysis emphasized the relationship between element distribution and different milk sources, and the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) model could identify the species type of milk. Geographical analysis indicated that trace elements such as Sr, Ni, and Cr were highly significantly enriched in Tacheng camel milk ( p < 0.01). The established LDA model achieved traceability of the geographical origin of Xinjiang camel milk. This research reveals the mineral nutritional advantages of camel milk and its geographical differentiation patterns, providing theoretical support for exploring the functional properties of camel milk and for identifying species and regions through minerals. It is important to promote the upgrading of the specialty dairy product industry.

Keywords: camel milk; mineral; ICP-MS; geographical variation; nutritional value (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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