An updated comprehensive review of camel milk: Composition, therapeutic properties, and industrial applications

Abstract

Camels, particularly dromedaries, are vital to arid and semi-arid regions like Northeast Africa and Asia, where they thrive and provide essential nutrition. Camel milk is rich in essential vitamins (A, B, C, E), minerals (iron, zinc, magnesium), and bioactive compounds, making it a valuable dietary source in resource-limited environments. Camel milk contains protective proteins such as lactoferrin, immunoglobulins, and lactoperoxidases, and these proteins generate bioactive peptides upon digestion that exhibit auspicious antidiabetic, anticancer, antihypertensive, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and hypocholesterolemic activities. While, low cholesterol and sugar levels in camel milk, combined with its insulin-like and anti-inflammatory properties, confer the potential therapeutic attributes against some conditions such as diabetes, autism, and autoimmune diseases. These unique properties of camel milk especially camel milk proteins have significant potential in food applications while a few of its industrial applications in food products like cheese, ice cream, milk powders and ice cream have also been discussed. This review is aimed to comprehensively review camel milk by going through its particular composition, nutritional and bioactive profile, associated health benefits, and industrial applications.