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Review Article Volume 14 Issue 1
Mediterranean region sheep, goat, buffalo, and cow milk composition and color parameters
Mustafa Güçlü Sucak, Serap Göncü, Sena Doğan
Received: February 13, 2026 | Published: March 3, 2026
Citation: Sucak MG, Göncü S, Doğan S. Mediterranean region sheep, goat, buffalo, and cow milk composition and color parameters. J Dairy Vet Anim Res. 2026;14(1):4-9. DOI: 10.15406/jdvar.2026.14.00355
Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate the compositional, physical, and color characteristics of sheep, goat, buffalo, and cow milk in the Mediterranean region to examine the differences among species as well as the relationships between these characteristics. The findings indicate that milk composition and physical properties play a determining role not only in terms of nutritional value but also in the formation and perceptual characteristics of milk color. Differences observed among species with respect to basic components such as fat, protein, lactose, and solids-non-fat were also reflected in the CIELAB color parameters and total color difference (ΔE) values. In terms of color parameters, the L* value exhibited strong relationships with milk composition and certain physical properties, whereas the a*, b*, Chroma, and Hue parameters showed more selective and limited associations. Interspecies ΔE analyses revealed visually distinct color differences particularly between sheep milk and the other milk types, while goat and cow milk were found to be more similar to each other in terms of color characteristics. These findings suggest that species-specific compositional structures and physical properties play an important role in the perception of milk color.
Keywords: Mediterranean region, sheep, goat, buffalo, cow, milk composition, milk colour
©2026 Sucak, et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.