Dubai: The UAE is planning to export camel milk after the European Commission gave its safety and quality processes the green light, a senior member of the UAE government said.
The European Commission had billed the UAE camel milk as "good", and falling into line with European Union health and food standards, he said.
"The UAE is intending to export camel milk to European markets next year, to be among the first suppliers of this product to the EU," said Ministry of Environment and Water Agricultural and Animal Affairs Department Executive Director Abdullah Al Janan.
"We have received a letter of approval from the EU on the UAE plan on safety and quality of camel milk,'' he said.
The EU had said the data and information submitted by the UAE were complete, he indicated.
Al Janan said the Ministry in April had provided the EU with information it had requested in relation to the camel milk processing, including the results of laboratory tests.
"As of the current month, 10 analyses and tests on camel milk will be conducted every month (120 tests per year) and their findings will be sent to the EU to match them with its export regimes," said Al Janan, who also chairs the National Food Safety Committee.
Al Janan said the Ministry planned to conduct these tests in co-operation with the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority and Dubai Municipality laboratories.
"The UAE file on safety and quality of camel milk will be submitted to the EU's committee for registration of non-members' products, which will be visiting the UAE next year to announce the results," he said.
While in the UAE, he explained, the EU panel would tour a number of camel farms, especially those producing milk.
Al Janan said the Ministry had issued camel milk-producing regulations at the start of the year, which complied with EU standards, he said.
Researchers say camel milk is more nutritious than cows' milk because it is lower in fat and cholesterol and richer in potassium, iron and minerals such as sodium and magnesium.
This was revealed in a paper presented at the fifth Dubai International Food Safety Conference, held in Dubai last February.
The paper, Standards for Camel Milk, was presented by Dubai Municipality's Dubai Central Laboratory Principal Food Microbiologist Fatima Abdul Rahman.
Arabian culture
"Camel is a vital part of Arabian culture and tradition and its milk is an important component of the diet in the UAE and other Arab countries," the paper noted.
"Today camel milk is very important for human survival in many different countries.
"There are 18 million camels in the world which support the survival of millions of people in arid and semi-arid areas."
Rahman said camel milk had a sweet and sharp taste normally, but at times it could taste salty or watery.
"The quality of milk is affected by the number of calves, the age of the animal, the stage of lactation, the quality and quantity of feed, as well as the amount of water available," Rahman said.
Benefits
Talking about the benefits of camel milk, Rahman said camel milk as a rich source of proteins with potential anti-microbial and protective activity for the human digestive system.
"Some proteins are not found in cow milk, or only in minor concentrations," she said.
"Camel milk need not be boiled as much as that of cow's or goat's.
"Strong in flavour, it must be drunk slowly to allow the stomach to digest it," she said.
Rahman said several studies had been carried out on the composition of camel's milk.
"They point out that the fat content per unit in cow milk is 3.8 per cent whereas it is 1.8 per cent to 3.8 per cent in camel milk," she said.
"Vitamin C and Niacin are very higher in camel milk. Vitamins and proteins are different than in cow milk.
Shelf life
"Camel milk also has a longer shelf life compared with other types of milk due to the presence of some special and strong compounds and this finding carries great importance to the people living in desert areas were cooling facilities were not available.
"The values of lactoferrin and immunoglobulin were estimated slightly higher in camel milk than those reported in cow milk," she said.
Do you think camek milk will be well received by the rest of world? Should the government offer incentives in a large scale to help flood the market with this product?
