The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) has published the results of a research entailing a technique for a freeze-dried starter culture that camel milk farmers can adopt to produce safe, fermented milk products.
Researchers inform that this formula benefits the farmers and consumers of Africa a lot. The standard and safety of milk relies on the rate of infection by pathogens such as E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria, etc. appearing in milk with high frequency. Since cooling facilities are absent, fermentation occurs instinctively in African camel milk thus it often contains hazardous pathogens.
The study says- “To our knowledge, we have for the first time illustrated that some strains of Lactococcus lactis isolated from camel milk can cease the growth of food related pathogens in both raw and pasteurized camel milk.”
The study reveals that certain gram-positive L. lactis strains widely used in buttermilk and cheese productive, have antimicrobial functions which is crucial for eliminating pathogens and hence can be adopted as a starter culture.
This study was jointly done by the Haramaya University, Copenhagen University, and the Technical University of Denmark and was financed by the Danish Development Fund, Danida.
Researchers believe that enhancing the safety of camel milk is a resuscitating innovation. The dangerous pathogens contaminating the milk can lead to severe illness or even death.
In a paper published in the Journal of Food Science talking about the chemical composition and nutritional quality of camel’s milk informed that copper, iron, manganese, niacin, potassium, sodium, vitamin C, and zinc were more than in cow milk. But levels of folacin, lysine, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, thiamin, tryptophan, vitamin A, and vitamin B-12 were comparatively lower.
Camel milk contains less fat but has a high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids. Components like long chain immunoglobulins or antibodies are also present which are believed to assist in boosting the immunity of the consumers.
As per the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FOA), “From all the data available it is perspicuous that the camel milk is very nutritious for human consumption.”
Camel milk is sold in the U.S. and can even be bought from Amazon in powdered or liquid form. In contrast to the camel milk in Africa, the U.S. price is a lot more costing about $115.00 for six bottles weighing 16 ounces.