**2. Camel milk**

Camel milk has been found to be a healthier option for people with diabetes and those with food allergies. Several studies on camel milk have found its positive impact on autism, diabetes, liver disease, jaundice, and even cancer. Camel milk is high in vitamin C, many minerals, and immunoglobulins, which boost the immune system. It is not only a very nutritious dairy beverage but it also innately includes probiotics. Camel milk helps enhance gastrointestinal health besides improving systemic immunity. The drink has a low-fat content (only 2 to 3%, compared to cow milk) and thus is likely to attract more attention of health-aware consumers. In various Middle East countries and an Africa, it is used as a suitable supplement to feed undernourished children because it's similarity with human breast milk [6].

#### **2.1 Medicinal properties of camel milk**

Naturally occurring bioactive compounds have contributed effectively to cancer therapeutics, paving a way for better disease management. Camel milk is one such dietary food with immense nutritional and medicinal value. Like human and bovine milk, camel milk also contains numerous proteins such as immunoglobulins, alphalactalbumin, lactoperoxidase, casein, lysozyme, lactoferrin, amylase, etc. The major proteins present in camel milk along with their clinical significance have been depicted in **Table 1**. It forms a high nutritional source with low cholesterol, low sugar, high minerals (sodium, potassium, iron, copper, zinc, and magnesium), high vitamins (vitamin C, B2, A, and E), and high concentrations of insulin compared to the ruminant milk [20–22]. Moreover, very recently camel milk casein-derived nanoparticles have been used as carriers for the delivery of sorafenib in hepatocarcinoma cells [23].

#### **2.2 Commercial value of camel Milk**

Latest reports suggest that the global camel dairy market reached 2.3 billion US\$ in 2020. A total of 2.9 million tons of camel milk production has been recorded annually worldwide [24]. Camel dairy market is expected to reach USD 10.07 billion by 2027 growing at a growth rate of 8.0% in the forecast period 2020 to 2027.

Camel milk is traditionally consumed in either a raw form or in a fermented form. But to cater with preferences of urban populations now manufacturers have stated the production of novel camel milk based food products such as flavored beverages, sweets, chocolates and Ice creams. These products are becoming increasingly popular in nations such as UAE, Saudi Arabia,, Kazakhstan, Algeria, Australia, Morocco, Egypt and India. Its increasing demand has resulted in a wide opportunity for product innovation and generation of new markets. Camel milk products are relatively more expensive than other cattle dairy food items due to its high production costs. In spite of being low in fat, camel milk has a relatively high content of unsaturated fatty acids, which are beneficial for us. It's suitable for lactose-intolerant people. Camel milk is actually considered a super food because of its high mineral and vitamin content. Moreover, its benefits for joint pain and diabetes has also been well documented. It's no wonder then that it's for long been consumed by the

*Medicinal Potential of Camel Milk Lactoferrin DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.108316*


#### **Table 1.**

*Application of camel milk molecules in treatment of various diseases.*

Bedouins (nomadic Arab people) and many other desert communities of the world to face their harsh living conditions.

The dairy market in India reached a value of 13,174 billion INR in 2021. In the coming times, International market analysis research and consulting (IMARC) group expects the market to reach 30,840 billion INR by 2027. This would amount to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.98% during the time interval 2022–2027. Actually, despite its availability, India has been late in entering the market scenario. Only in the end of 2016 did the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) decide the standards for commercialization of camel milk. Notably, while government dairy cooperatives have been slow to respond, some entrepreneurs, interestingly, even from the Raika community of Rajasthan, have taken multiple dynamic initiatives. India's first camel milk brand Aadvik Foods is set to disrupt the dairy and organic milk products market. This New Delhi-based company started its journey in 2016 with just one liter of camel milk. Today, it is procuring around 10,000 liters a month, having sold over 2 lakhs liters over the last three-and-half years.
