🥛 Reindeer milk

Reindeer milk is the milk of the female reindeer, obtained in small amounts by herders in the far north. Reindeer milk is one of the most concentrated milks of any domestic animal. According to the FAO, it can contain more than six times as much fat as cow’s milk (up to 21.5 g per 100 g versus 3.3 g) and about four times as much protein; its consistency is like cream. Its composition changes a lot over the lactation, so different sources give a wide range of fat content, roughly from 10 to 22%.

The high calorie content is an adaptation to a harsh climate: a calf has to gain weight quickly to survive the Arctic winter and keep up with the herd’s migrations. At the same time, reindeer milk has almost half as much lactose as cow’s milk (about 2.9%). About 80% of its protein is casein, as in cows; it does contain β-lactoglobulin, but according to one study the cross-reaction with cow’s milk is only partial.

Reindeer herding is found from northern Scandinavia to eastern Siberia. The FAO mentions that lactose intolerance is fairly common among the Sámi, traditional reindeer herders, and low-lactose reindeer milk fitted well into their diet. Today reindeer are rarely milked, and interest in their milk is mostly linked to niche gourmet products.