review · Journal of Dairy Research
Camel milk has traditionally been consumed fresh or naturally fermented, but dairy plants increasingly process it into commercial consumer goods. Understanding the functional and technological properties of its proteins is essential for continued product development. Camel milk proteins display distinct molecular features, notably the absence of the whey protein beta-lactoglobulin and a low proportion of kappa-casein, which cause significant differences during dairy manufacturing. In addition to technical processing considerations, these proteins hold potential for human nutrition, including uses in infant foods, food preservation, and functional food systems. Proposed health benefits include antidiabetogenic effects, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, and inhibition of the angiotensin converting enzyme. Further targeted research into foaming, gelation, and solubility is required to improve commercial utilisation.
Camel milk is transitioning from a traditional staple into an industrial dairy resource. Its unique protein profile creates specific challenges and opportunities during factory processing. Recognising these characteristics enables manufacturers to create specialised nutritional products, such as infant formulas and functional foods, which draw on the protein's natural antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antidiabetogenic properties.
Dairy processors and food manufacturers can use these insights to optimise consumer formulations. While basic camel milk dairy products are already near-market or commercialised, specialised applications in infant nutrition, food preservation, and functional foods remain at an applied research stage. Full technical exploitation depends on further testing of protein solubility, gelation, and foaming properties under industrial processing conditions.
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This review summarises current knowledge on camel milk proteins, with focus on significant peculiarities in protein composition and molecular properties. Camel milk is traditionally consumed as a fresh or naturally fermented product. Within the last couple of years, an increasing quantity is being processed in dairy plants, and a number of consumer products have been marketed. A better understanding of the technological and functional properties, as required for product improvement, has been gained in the past years. Absence of the whey protein β-LG and a low proportion of к-casein cause differences in relation to dairy processing. In addition to the technological properties, there are also implications for human nutrition and camel milk proteins are of interest for applications in infant foods, for food preservation and in functional foods. Proposed health benefits include inhibition of the angiotensin converting enzyme, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties as well as an antidiabetogenic effect. Detailed investigations on foaming, gelation and solubility as well as technological consequences of processing should be investigated further for the improvement of camel milk utilisation in the near future.
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DOI: 10.1017/s0022029916000686
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