| dc.description.abstract | Camels are important livestock animals in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) as they provide livelihood. Camel milk is notable for its composition, characterized by a high content of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) and low short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) compared to bovine milk. The long-chain fatty acids that are higher in camel milk include oleic acid and linoleic acid along with lower levels of short-chain fatty acids such as butyric acid compared to bovine milk. It is hypoallergenic making it suitable for individuals with protein allergies. Studies have suggested it may aid in diabetes management and offer more therapeutic benefits. Despite these benefits, research on camel milk processing into value added including butter remains limited and often outdated, highlighting the need for contemporary studies. The higher melting point of camel milk presents challenges in butter production techniques typically used for bovine butter. This review aims to examine methods for developing camel milk butter, assess challenges faced, and explore emerging opportunities. This review hypothesizes that compositional and structural differences in camel milk such as smaller fat globules, higher proportion of LCFAs affect butter production significantly, hence need for a specific method far from one used in bovine butter production. Key challenges previously reported in the production of camel milk butter, includes compositional differences in fat globules and fatty acid profiles, particularly the higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acids and differences in fat melting temperatures. Conversely, opportunities arise from the distinct profiles, including high levels of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) like palmitoleic acid (C16:1) and arachidonic acid (C20:4), which can differentiate camel milk butter from other varieties. The review also discusses the future of camel milk butter processing, focusing on innovative production techniques and analytical methods to profile properties effectively. | en_US |
