Composition and characteristics of Chinese Bactrian camel milk

•The all essential nutrient needed for human were found in Bactrian camel milk as well as in bovine milk.•The camel milk had higher buffering capacity than that of bovine milk.•The κ-casein and β-lactoglobulin were absence or very low content in camel milk proteins.•The camel milk had the potential therapeutic properties for the patients.

A comprehensive review on Chinese Bactrian camel milk composition, properties, nutrition value was provided. The review indicated that the mean values of Bactrian camel milk composition were as follows: protein, 3.96%; lactose, 4.50%; fat, 5.32; ash, 0.83%; total solids, 14.52%. The all essential nutrient for humans needed was found in Bactrian camel milk as well as in bovine milk. The α-lactalbumin was the main component and lack β-lactoglobulin in Bactrian camel whey. The pH, acidity (%), density, viscosity (mPa s) and electrical conductivity (μS/cm) of fresh Bactrian camel regular milk ranged from 6.31 to 6.57, 0.17% to 0.20%, 1.028 to 1.040, 6.79 to 7.16 and 0.380 to 0.547 × 104, respectively. The composition of proteins in camel milk was different from the bovine milk in some aspects. Meanwhile, fresh and fermented camel milk were found to provide various potential health benefits on adjunctive therapeutic of type-II diabetes, improving the chornic renal failure, promoting the recovery of the chronic hepatitis B patients, inhibitions of inflammatory and inhibiting the growth of tumor.