Donkey milk powder produced for cosmetics due to skin moisturising properties

Proteins found in donkey milk powder can help to moisturise the skin, and this is seeing the ingredient be developed for cosmetics applications.

The product is rich in Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, D & E, and donkey milk’s albumins have the ability to absorb moisture and give it back to the skin, creating a moisturizing shield on the upper layers of the skin, according to Greek firm Hellenic Asinus Farms, who is currently developing a cosmetic offering.

Its product, NETO, is a cryogenically produced donkey milk powder ingredient for the cosmetics industry and is produced according to the most rigorous methods and patented processes, says the company.

“All the processing for sterilization and lyophilization takes place at temperatures much lower than 0 ° C, thereby maintaining unaltered all the beneficial properties of donkey milk unlike other sterilization methods that are based on high temperature processes,” claims Hellenic Asinus.

Strict process

The Athens-based company is the first in Greece that specializes in the production of raw materials from donkey milk, and is in constant cooperation with the Technological Educational Institute of Larissa, in order to develop modern and innovative products.

The process it uses combines advanced membrane technology processes for sanitizing and concentrating the raw donkey milk with a final step of cryogenic drying by freeze drying.

By doing this, the donkey milk powder produced contains the full amount of bioactive proteins originally contained in the raw material, particularly lysozyme, lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase and immunoglobulins.

All the previous mentioned bioactive donkey milk proteins are sensitive in thermal degradation. For this reason, even if they are exposed at a moderate heat treatment they easily lose their bioactivity concerning skin protection.

Hellenic Asinus Farms says it is expanding and creating new partnerships, with farmers, who are willing to comply with the strict specifications enforced by the cosmetics industry.