Physicochemical characteristics of Kyrgyz khainak milk for ghee production

Elemanova R. Serniene L. Usubalieva A. Tayeva A. Baikhozhaeva B. Musulmanova M.
May 2026 Elsevier B.V.

Food and Humanity
2026 #6

Ghee is a staple traditional food in Kyrgyzstan, often produced domestically in high-altitude regions using milk from the khainak (a yak-cow hybrid). This study characterized khainak milk and the ghee derived from it to evaluate its potential for industrial valorization. Compared to cow milk, Kyrgyz khainak milk exhibited significantly higher (p 0.05) content of fat (5.0 ± 0.07 g 100 g⁻¹), protein (4.39 ± 0.06 g 100 g⁻¹), and titratable acidity (19.5 ± 0.7 °Т), along with a high fat globule count (∼ 4 ×10⁹ per cm³) and an average globule diameter of 3.21 µm. To obtain 1 kg of ghee, approximately 20 L of khainak milk are required, which is less than the typical 25–30 L needed for cow milk. Color analysis showed no significant difference between ghee from khainak and cow milk, consistent with their similar β-carotene content (0.8 mg 100 g⁻¹ and 0.7 mg 100 g⁻¹, respectively). The fatty acid (FA) profile of khainak ghee was dominated by saturated FAs (64.65 g 100 g⁻¹ of total FA), followed by monounsaturated (31.52 g 100 g⁻¹ of total FA) and polyunsaturated FAs (3.73 g 100 g⁻¹ of total FA). The atherogenic and thrombogenic indices of khainak ghee were below 3.0. These findings highlight the distinctive physicochemical and nutritional properties of khainak ghee, supporting its potential for the sustainable development of high-altitude dairy farming in Kyrgyzstan through targeted industrial processing.

Color , Dispersity , Fat globules , Fatty acid profile , Ghee , Khainak milk , Physicochemical properties

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I. Razzakov Kyrgyz State Technical University, pr. Aytmatov, 66, Bishkek, 720044, Kyrgyzstan
Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, A. Mickeviciaus st., 9, Kaunas, 44307, Lithuania
Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University, pr. Aytmatov, 56, Bishkek, 720044, Kyrgyzstan
Almaty Technological University, Tole Bi st., 100, Almaty, A05H0E2, Kazakhstan
Gumilev Eurasian National University, Satpaev st., 2, Astana, 010008, Kazakhstan

I. Razzakov Kyrgyz State Technical University
Lithuanian University of Health Sciences
Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University
Almaty Technological University
Gumilev Eurasian National University

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Книга Публикация научной статьи Волощук 2026 Book Publication of a scientific article 2026