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Camel Milk Shelf Life Optimization: Physicochemical Deterioration, Bioactive Preservation, and Non-Thermal
Nour A Elsahoryi1, Omar A Alhaj1, Haitham Jahrami2,3
1Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of Petra, Amman 11196, Jordan.
Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
|August 13, 2026
Summary
Camel milk
Area of Science:
- Camel milk shelf life science
- Dairy processing and preservation
- Food science and technology
Background:
- Camel milk (CM) possesses unique compositional traits, including the absence of β-lactoglobulin (β-LG) and a distinct casein micelle structure.
- It is rich in bioactive proteins like lactoferrin (LF), immunoglobulin G (IgG), and lysozyme (LZ), offering antimicrobial benefits but posing processing challenges.
- Current shelf life management lags behind the commercial expansion of CM as a functional dairy product.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and highlight critical, under-addressed areas in camel milk shelf life science.
- To examine physicochemical deterioration mechanisms, bioactive protein stability, and novel preservation techniques for CM.
- To identify research gaps and propose future directions for optimizing CM processing and preservation.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on physicochemical deterioration, bioactive protein fate, and non-thermal processing methods.
- Analysis of emerging technologies such as high-pressure processing (HPP), pulsed electric field (PEF), and electromagnetic (EM) fields.
- Evaluation of functional packaging innovations for extending CM shelf life.
Main Results:
- Physicochemical challenges include lipid oxidation, casein micelle destabilization due to lack of β-LG, and Maillard browning.
- High-pressure processing (HPP) at 200-400 MPa shows proven efficacy in microbial deactivation and quality preservation for CM.
- Electromagnetic (EM) field treatment at 850 mT shows potential for microbial control and preserving bioactive markers, requiring further validation.
Conclusions:
- Significant research gaps exist in standardized shelf life modeling, bioactive protein stability characterization, and life cycle assessment of CM preservation.
- There is an urgent need to validate camel-specific pasteurization indicators, as bovine alkaline phosphatase remains active in CM post-HTST pasteurization.
- Non-thermal processing, particularly HPP, and innovative packaging offer promising avenues for extending camel milk shelf life while preserving its functional properties.
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