A dairy product is food produced from the milk of mammals. As infants, humans are breastfed by their mothers. Mammalian milk is the white liquid produced from the mammary glands. Colostrum is found in the initial stages of lactation, which carries the mother’s antibodies to the baby reducing the risk of contracting many diseases in infancy, as well as providing nutrients and growth factors. Breast milk is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals whose digestive system is underdeveloped and unable to consume other types of food.

Humans source and consume milk and dairy products from cows, goats, sheep, yaks, water buffalo, horses, reindeer and camels.

The term milk is also used to refer to white-coloured, non-animal beverages (Non-Dairy) similar in colour and texture such as coconut milk, soy milk, rice milk, hemp milk etc.