Current Status of Camel Dairy Processing and Technologies: A Review
Alemnesh Yirda, Mitiku Eshetu, Kibebew Babege
Abstract
Camel milk is unique because it is not easily processed into different dairy products that are common for cow milk. It lacks β-lactoglobulin and has low κ-casein that hinders processing of camel milk into different dairy products. Hence it needs different processing methods and technologies. To this effect attempts were made to manufacture dairy products such as feta cheese, soft brined cheese, and fermented milk from camel milk that had been produced at laboratory level. Camel milk powder has also been manufactures and marketed in Middle East and beyond. Currently there are remarkable progresses in camel dairy technologies that paved the way for production of different camel dairy products at small, medium and large scale. A number of experiments were conducted on camel milk processing technologies from preservation of camel milk using lactoperoxidase system activation using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and thiocyanate as well as by H2O2 producing lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to metagenomic characterization of LAB isolated from spontaneously fermented camel milk. Therefore, this review paper is going to present current status of camel dairy technologies in Ethiopia.