Production of Flavoured Fermented Camel Milk

The present study investigated the effect of adding cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) and doum palm fruit(Hyphaene thebaica) water extracts (as a natural flavour agent and antioxidant compound sources) on fermented camelmilk properties. Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus were used in thefermentation process. The analyses of chemical and nutritional values of camel milk, cinnamon and doum palm fruitextracts were performed. The samples were analyzed for physicochemical, phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity,minerals, vitamins, rheological, microbiological and sensory properties when fresh and during storage (21 day) at4±1°C. Flavoured fermented camel milk with concentrated cinnamon and doum extracts caused a significant increase intotal phenolic content proportionally with increasing the concentration level of added extracts, while significantdecrease was shown during storage period. The antioxidant activity of flavoured substituted fermented camel milk inwhich concentrated cinnamon and doum extracts were added ranged from 91.39 - 90.31% when 3 and 9% extractslevels were added respectively. Fermented camel milk flavoured with doum extract had higher vitamins contentcompared with that made by adding cinnamon extract. Minerals content in treatments with doum fruit extract showedthe highest contents of potassium (K), sodium (Na), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) compared with untreated fermented camelmilk. The greatest increase rate observed in potassium (K) in fermented camel milk made by adding3% and9%cinnamon and doum extracts. Total bacterial count increased in all flavoured fermented milk, while the count of Str.thermophiles and Lb. bulgaricus increased to maximum at the 14th day of storage period then decreased up to the end ofstorage period. Increasing levels of cinnamon and doum extracts negatively influenced the sensory scores of someproperties of fermented camel milk. The overall results cleared that, it is possible to produce good quality fermentedcamel milk with good flavour, body & texture, appearance and colour by adding of (cinnamon and doum) extracts as agood functional foods.