A signature protein-based method to distinguish Mediterranean water buffalo and foreign breed milk

► Internally deleted water buffalo αs1-casein variant is a signature protein. ► Primary structure of never signaled αs1-CN variant has been done. ► Deletion of the 35-42 peptide is the result of exon 6 skipping. ► A fast HPLC method for detecting αs1-CN genetic variants has been done. ► The short αs1-CN variant missing in Mediterranean occurs in milk of foreign breeds.