The Camel milk business is worth > 11 billion US dollars annually, 70% of camel milk is consumed by camel owners and never reaches the market but some companies (farmers, cooperatives, and corporations) process and market the camel milk. Because of the availability of camel milk in the market, the consumption of camel milk is increasing, and is an ever-increasing demand for it mainly because of health reasons.
Yogurt made from the camel milk (CaM) without any external addition
Camel’s milk (CaM) has a similar composition to that of bovine milk and sequence homology between milk proteins for both kinds of milk is in the range of 60–90%. The relative composition, distribution, and molecular profile of milk constituents are different. In fact, β-lactoglobulin (potential allergen for infants), whey proteins, is absent in CaM. Due to its higher amounts of Beta-casein (β-CN), CAM is similar to human milk and also has better digestibility and lower infants’ allergic incidence, compared to bovine milk. In fact, β-CN is more degradable by peptic enzymes than α-CN https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308814620318562
The power of camel milk
It is well documented that CaM is technically more difficult to process into fermented products (such as yogurt) than its counterparts from other livestock. In this regard, appreciable research works have been dealt with many trials in making yogurt from CaM. The manufacturing of yogurt from CaM, however, ended in a texture problem where the final product was not a typical yogurt texture and had an unpleasant taste. Furthermore, the product’s viscosity did not change during the gelling process compared to the milk of other dairy species. In other words, the final product is described at best as a drinking yogurt. In fact, such technical difficulties clearly explain the lack of industrial production of CaM yogurt at the present time. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/4/1045
The Beauty of the camels
Recently, yogurt could not be made from CaM unless the dromedary milk samples were fortified with combinations of cow’s milk constituents (micellar casein, whey protein, and sodium caseinate) in the presence of microbial transglutaminase. Others added commercial chymosin along with gelatin, starch, and skim milk powder. However, the final product deviated from standards of identity for yogurt traditionally made by acidification (no cheese coagulant) by selected lactic acid bacterial starters. Instead, the resulted CaM fermented product could be best described as a yogurt-like one. https://link-springer-com.sdl.idm.oclc.org/article/10.1007/s40003-020-00535-7
One of the world’s best camel breeds – KHAWAR Camel of Oman. The main habitat is the Dhofar region.
It is noteworthy to mention that our developed CaM yogurt could be manufactured, at the industrial scale, as that from cow’s milk will not add up extra costs in its production. CaM yogurt was made from 100% CaM (pasteurized) with no need for fortification with caseins, skim milk powder, whey proteins, or treatment with commercial enzymes (chymosin/ transglutaminase) or gelatin.
Raigi camel breed of Kakar Khurasan
Most important, the developed CaM yogurt meets the standard of identity outlined by the Codex Alimentarius of the FAO/WHO for yogurt. It is also an added-value product from CaM with more nutritious and functional values. The CaM yogurt, developed in our laboratory, could be considered a safer alternative for those allergic to cow’s milk. It is typical yogurt made from CaM which is spoonable (see photo below) with longer shelf life without added preservatives. If you are interested in the industrial production and marketing of CAM yogurt, please contact me at the below e-mail address.
Camel milk in nature, Washuk district Balochistan.
Making yogurt from camel milk was always challenging
It was always challenging making yogurt from camel milk. People from different parts of the world were continuously asking such questions, Why it is challenging to make yogurt of camel milk? My answer was always the same ‘Better take the camel milk as fresh and unprocessed’ I take fresh camel milk on a daily basis and it is practically keeping me away from chemical drugs and doctors. In different time periods and in different parts of the world, somehow it was managed to make yogurt of camel milk but always a bit thinner and watery.
The study was led by Selda, a member of Camel4life International
A new study conducted in Turkey found an enzyme (biological agent), that makes better yogurt with camel milk. The study was published with the title ‘The influence of microbial transglutaminase on the camel milk yogurt’ I received this good news in the group communication hub of the Camel4life international group which is advocating camel milk at the global level. The study revealed that the sample (yogurt) with the best sensory properties was prepared with 6 U/g microbial transglutaminases (mTGase) and micellar casein. The study concluded that the mTGase improved the gel structure and sensory properties of camel milk yogurt. For your interest and further details, I’m hereby sharing the link to the study. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0023643822002742?via%3Dihub
In 2020, I made CM yogurt at home
Making yogurt from camel milk is a challenge and so is the separation of butterfat. After a lengthy effort and trying different modules, ultimately we succeeded in making yogurt, separated butter, and got whey (Shlombey, شلومبئ). During this work, I successfully separated/produced butter from camel milk. The link is available here.
