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

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.