The importance of camel milk and its dairy products – a review

Abstract

Camel milk and dairy products based on camel milk are consumed by people in various countries, particularly Asia and Africa. Traditionally, products based on camel milk products have been an essential source of protein for people living in arid countries of the world. Here, we have discussed the chemical composition of camel milk and the technological features and limitations in the production of dairy products from camel milk. Moreover, different species or strains of LAB such as Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus casei, Enterococcus faecium, Streptococcus thermophilus, Weissella confusa were detected as the prevalent bacteria in camel milk and camel milk products. Although camel milk has been subjected to numerous studies, technical analyses on an industrial scale remain scarce, especially for processed camel milk products. Further comprehensive research is needed to improve the quality of camel milk dairy products so that they can compete with milk from other livestock.