Australian scientists have found that camel milk is a good alternative to traditional dairy products. In addition to being hypoallergenic, camel milk can protect the intestines from harmful enzymes and provide healthier digestion.
The study was conducted by researchers from Edith Cowan University in Australia, and the Eurek Alert website wrote about it.
The researchers found that camel milk contains more naturally occurring bioactive peptides compared to its cow counterpart.
“This is a good thing,” said researcher Manjuya Jayamana Mohitij. “We now know that camel milk has the ability to be hypoallergenic compared to cow’s milk, but it also has a higher ability to produce biologically active peptides (chains of amino acids) that can have anti-allergic properties.” Antimicrobial and anti-hypertensive properties.
Peptides
“These bioactive peptides can selectively inhibit certain pathogens, thereby creating a healthy intestinal environment, and they also have the potential to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in the future,” he added.
However, Mohitij noted that the effectiveness of these bioactive peptides still needs further testing.
The research confirmed that camel milk does not contain the main milk allergen, beta-lactoglobulin (β-Lg), providing dairy users with beta-lactoglobulin allergies a viable alternative to cow’s milk.
Camel milk compared to cow’s milk
Cow’s milk typically contains between 85% to 87% water, 3.8% to 5.5% fat, 2.9% to 3.5% protein, and 4.6% lactose.
In contrast, camel milk consists of 87% to 90% water, its protein content ranges from 2.15% to 4.90%, its fat content ranges from 1.2% to 4.5%, and its lactose levels range between 3.5% and 4.5%.
Increasingly popular
Currently, about 81% of global milk production is obtained from cows, and camel milk production ranks fifth, after buffalo, goats and sheep. Camel milk represents only about 0.4% of the world’s current milk production.
However, Mohitij noted, “Camel milk is gaining global interest, partly due to environmental conditions. Arid or semi-arid regions can be a challenge for traditional livestock farming, but are ideal for camels.”
There are already a number of camel farms in Australia, but the volume of production is still low. Compared to dairy cows, which can produce up to 28 liters of milk per day, camels usually produce about 5 liters per day.