Allergenic and Antigenic Properties of Goat's Milk Caseins and Their Mitigation Strategies: A Review

Goat's milk is increasingly considered an alternative to cow's milk for infants due to its potential health benefits. However, casein allergenicity and antigenicity, including potential cross-reactivity with cow's milk, remain important public health concerns. Although goat's milk has been reviewed, few studies have specifically addressed strategies to reduce allergenicity or integrated the diverse approaches required for comprehensive assessment. This review examines allergenicity and antigenicity of goat's milk protein and identifies key gaps in developing hypoallergenic infant formulas. It synthesizes current knowledge by combining in silico epitope prediction, structure-activity relationship (SAR) analyses, enzymatic hydrolysis strategies, and advanced analytical methods. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based immunoassays and peptide bioefficacy, including bioaccessibility and bioavailability, are also discussed, providing a holistic perspective for profiling allergenic potential. Enzymatic hydrolysis can markedly reduce goat's milk allergenicity and antigenicity, whereas integrated computational and experimental approaches enable identification of bioactive and allergenic peptides. By consolidating these strategies into a unified framework, this review provides a roadmap for designing safer, hypoallergenic goat's milk products and guides future research in infant formula development and broader dairy applications.