Shubat is a traditional fermented camel milk drink that originated in Central Asia, with especially deep cultural roots in Kazakhstan. However, systematic studies on the microbial ecology and functional genes of Shubat remain scarce. As a distinctive fer-mented food, its microbial diversity and functional properties have not been fully ex-plored. This study investigates the microbial diversity and functional potential of Shubat by using advanced metagenomic techniques. Its microbial community is mainly composed of bacteria (96.6%), with Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, and Streptococcus being the dominant genera. Functional annotations through EggNOG, KEGG, and CAZy databases highlighted the metabolic versatility of Shubat’s microbiota. Key pathways included amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism, vitamin biosynthesis, and central carbon metabolism, emphasizing their roles in fermentation and nutritional enhancement. The identification of various enzymes related to chemical synthesis further emphasizes the contribution of the microbiota to Shubat’s unique flavor and texture. This study not only provides an important basis for the scientific understanding of Shubat but also expands the application possibilities of fermented food in the field of health and nutrition and confers modern value and significance to traditional food. This integration of science and tradition has not only facilitated the development of food microbiology but also paved new pathways for the global dissemination of traditional foods and the development of functional foods.

Shubat, a traditional fermented camel milk from Kazakhstan, is renowned for its unique flavor and nutritional properties, though its volatile compound profile remains poorly characterized. In this study, headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC×GC–ToFMS) was employed to qualitatively identify and semi-quantitatively analyze volatile metabolites in seven Shubat samples collected from four regions of Kazakhstan. Of the 372 volatile organic compounds initially detected, 202 were retained after screening, predominantly comprising esters, acids, alcohols, ketones, and aldehydes. Esters, acids, and alcohol were found to be the most abundant categories. Diversity analyses (α and β) revealed substantial variation across regions, likely influenced by Shubat’s rich and region-specific microbiome. An UpSet analysis demonstrated that 75 volatile compounds were shared among all samples, accounting for over 87% of the total volatile content, indicating a chemically stable core. These findings underscore the chemical complexity of Shubat and provide novel insights into its metabolite composition, thereby establishing a foundation for future sensory, microbial, and quality-related research.

The article presents the results of physico-chemical and microbiological safety indicators of «camel milk» produced by private entrepreneurs of the Almaty region, Ileysky district, as well as microbiological safety indicators of camel milk proteins and its comparison with the composition of cow's milk.The main purpose of the study is to study the protective effect and value of fermented camel milk proteins.One of the urgent issues is the study of the biochemical value and quality, safety of camel milk. This is due to the fact that currently, due to the deterioration of the ecological system, dairy products, especially camel milk, play a significant role in improving human health. Albumin or whey protein contained in camel milk is much better absorbed by the body and is considered very popular due to its medicinal properties.In this regard, physico-chemical and microbiological studies of camel milk were carried out in this research work. That is, when studying the value of camel milk, its physico-chemical parameters (density, acidity, amount of total protein, fat, lactose and vitamin C) were revealed. The determination of milk acidity by Turner was carried out by titrimetry, density by Hydrometric method, protein content by titration with NaOH solution, determination of the amount of lactose by refractometric method, determination of the amount of vitamin C by oxidoreductase and titration.The results of the study showed that the content of protein, fat, lactose, and skimmed solids in the milk sample satisfy the physiological daily needs of camel milk. This will allow us to obtain fresh dairy products with high nutritional value in the future.In addition, carrying out this research work, it became possible to study the properties of microbiologically useful proteins inside camel milk whey proteins (using SDS-PAGE methods, chromatography) and to study the antimicrobial properties of whey protein hydrolysates (using the Well method).During the study of these properties, it was found that as a result of a test to determine the antimicrobial properties of camel milk whey protein hydrolysates, hydrolysates inhibit the growth of the pathogenic microorganism E.coli.The obtained research results show their results in assessing the impact on human health and obtaining particularly important environmentally friendly products in the future.

Traditional Suzbe is a fermented dairy product widely prepared at the household level in Kazakhstan, but the composition and functional potential of its microbiota remain poorly characterized. In this study, shotgun metagenomic sequencing was used to investigate the microbial communities of 20 traditional Suzbe samples collected from five geographically distinct regions of Kazakhstan. Lactic acid bacteria dominated the microbial communities, with annotations assigned to Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus cremoris, and Streptococcus thermophilus present in all samples. Alpha diversity did not differ significantly among the five regions, and PERMANOVA did not detect statistically significant regional differences in overall microbial community composition (R² = 0.253, p = 0.216). Nevertheless, LEfSe analysis identified several region-associated taxa, mainly among less abundant members of the microbiota. Functional annotation using the KEGG database showed that carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism, cofactor and vitamin metabolism, and membrane transport were among the major functional categories. Functional PERMANOVA did not detect statistically significant regional differences in overall functional composition (R² = 0.249, p = 0.276), although several metabolic pathways differed in relative abundance. Overall, the sampled Suzbe microbiomes were dominated by lactic acid bacteria, with several species detected in all samples and major functional categories detected across regions. Region-associated differences were identified among specific taxa and metabolic pathways; the nonsignificant PERMANOVA results do not establish taxonomic or functional conservation. This study provides new metagenomic data on traditional Suzbe and contributes to a better understanding of fermented dairy microbiota in Central Asia.

In recent years, the rapid advancement of scientific research focused on microbial communities has led to the emergence of novel molecular approaches. Among these, Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology has become one of the most effective tools, enabling high-precision and rapid analysis of the genetic material of microorganisms. This technology is widely applied in microbiome research, allowing for the identification of taxonomic composition, assessment of microbial diversity, and analysis of functional potential. Milk and dairy products provide a favorable environment for microbial growth; therefore, investigating their microbiological composition is essential for ensuring food safety and quality control. The application of NGS technology offers significant opportunities to characterize microbial community structures in milk and dairy products, analyze microbial interactions, and evaluate microbiological factors affecting product quality. This article reviews the historical development of NGS technology, metagenomic analysis methods, and key approaches to microbiome research. In addition, it examines the main directions of NGS application in the study of milk and dairy product microbiomes. The analysis of literature data demonstrates that NGS technology serves as an important scientific tool for investigating the microbiological composition of dairy products and ensuring food safety.