Camel Milk as a Functional Food: Nutritional Composition, Health-Promoting Benefits, and Safety Considerations

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Science
• Food Safety
• Public Health

Background:

• Camel milk is a nutrient-dense functional food with traditional use in arid regions.
• It contains bioactive compounds like proteins, peptides, exosomes, and insulin-like factors.
• While offering therapeutic benefits, camel milk consumption carries potential zoonotic risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the health benefits of camel milk.
• To assess the potential microbial and zoonotic risks associated with camel milk consumption.
• To synthesize findings from preclinical, clinical, and epidemiological studies.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative synthesis of studies published between 2000 and 2025.
• Inclusion of studies reporting intervention details, sample size, duration, health outcomes, and safety.
• Focus on preclinical, clinical, and epidemiological research.

Main Results:

• Camel milk (200-500 mL/day or 10 g powder BID for 2-14 weeks) improves glycemic control in Type 2 diabetes.
• It enhances behavioral, social, and gastrointestinal outcomes in children with autism by reducing inflammatory cytokines.
• Preclinical studies indicate cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, chemopreventive, antiobesity, and antiaging effects via antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms.

Conclusions:

• Camel milk provides nutritional and therapeutic advantages, potentially boosted by probiotics and exosomes.
• Probiotics and exosomes derived from camel milk show antimicrobial, anticancer, and immunomodulatory effects, and are safe for children.
• Raw camel milk consumption requires caution due to microbial contamination and zoonotic pathogen transmission risks.