**1. Introduction**

 Camels are domestic animals exceptionally well-adapted to arid lands. They can survive extended dry periods and heat and reproduce under harsh conditions, intolerable to other domestic animals. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 28 million camels were enumerated worldwide in 2016 [1]. There are two species of camels, one-humped Arabian camels or dromedaries (*Camelus dromedarius*) found in the Arab peninsula mostly in the Horn of Africa, the Sahel, Maghreb, Middle East, and South Asia. The second species is the two-humped Bactrian camels (*Camelus bactrianus*) domesticated in China and Mongolia [2]. The economic value and other benefits of camels make them the focus of attention of numerous scientific studies pinpointing the anatomic characteristics, a physiological adaptation of camels to adverse climates, and the bioactive molecules present in camel milk [3]. Their humps consist of stored fat that can be metabolized when food and water are inaccessible beside the ability of their organs to release water when needed. As additional ways for adaptation to their environment, camels have a third, clear eyelid protecting their eyes from sand and flat broader feet for walking in the desert. Camels are multi-purpose animals raised for riding, carrying loads, and producing milk, wool, hair, and meat (**Figure 1**). Milk is the most valuable camel product and it is known as 'white gold of the desert' [4, 5]. It is mainly consumed raw

### *Milk Production, Processing and Marketing*

 by the Bedouins (people who inhabited the desert) where access to green vegetables and fruits is limited, thus providing, in that case, a significant nutritional relevance. Although camel milk is linked to the culture identity of Bedouins for a long time, small-scale and large-scale farms for intensive production of camel milk have been implemented worldwide only in recent years. The establishment of these farming systems was synchronized with the increased consumer's interest in unprocessed raw non-bovine milk consumption. While cow milk represents 82% of the total quantity of milk produced in the world, non-bovine dairy species provided 133 million tons in 2016 [1]. Camel is considered one of the most important dairy animals contributing to about 0.3% of the milk produced in the world [1] (**Figure 2**). Raw camel milk has

**Figure 1.**  *Dromedary camel.* 

**Figure 2.**  *Pie chart showing the percentage of the total quantity of milk produced by different species in the world.* 

*Composition and Properties of Camel Milk DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.82592* 

 been reported to possess several technological and medicinal advantages: (i) it can be produced in significant amounts from poor feed than any other dairy species in geographical areas with climatic constraints; (ii) it contributes to the national incomes and the international market integration; and (iii) it satisfies the growing consumer demand for functional foods that, in addition to their nutritional values, have health benefits [6]. Moreover, camel milk is a highly nutritious medium permissive for the growth of many diverse bacterial species. These bacterial populations are mainly grouped into pathogenic, spoilage, and technologically relevant bacteria (health promoter, starter cultures, and preservative agents) [7]. The microbial composition can significantly influence the safety and technological properties of this type of milk. Consequently, the consumption of raw camel milk or of dairy products made with milk that was poorly handled or not properly pasteurized can lead to serious food infections and foodborne diseases. Despite the importance of the information regarding the safety level of raw camel milk, studies investigating its microbiota are limited. Therefore, further studies in this field are required. This chapter reviews the existing knowledge on the composition, nutritional value, health beneficial properties, and economic value of camel milk and its by-products. Furthermore, the relevant studies describing the microbiota of camel milk and the approaches used for their detection are also included.
