For years, researchers have highlighted the health benefits of camel milk, but shelf life and taste have been barriers preventing a global sales breakthrough.

Camel milk is popular in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, but not in Europe and North America, where cow’s milk dominates the dairy shelves. One advantage of camel milk is that it contains bioactive peptides, which may help strengthen the immune system. Additionally, it lacks the allergen beta-lactoglobulin, which is often responsible for cow’s milk intolerance. This is reported by Dairy Reporter, referencing a recent research article in Food Chemistry. According to the article, there are several reasons why camel milk has not gained traction in the Western world, where cow’s milk remains dominant.

In its traditional markets, camel milk is typically sold in powdered form, requiring consumers to mix it with water to create a ready-to-drink product. Fresh camel milk has a shorter shelf life than cow’s milk, making it difficult for producers to export it in liquid form. While UHT treatment could extend its shelf life, studies show that it damages the proteins. Additionally, camel milk has a stronger and saltier taste compared to cow’s milk.

However, according to the article’s authors, several companies are working on developing dromedary milk products tailored to Western tastes.

Read the article in Dairy Reporter  HER

Photo: Wolfgang Hasselmann, Unsplash