RAW CAMEL MILK PRODUCTION IN ALGERIAN’S SOUTH EASTERN ARID AREAS: CONSTRAINT RELATED TO COLLECTION, STORAGE AND TRANSPORT: IMPACT ON PRODUCT QUALITY

Background: Camel the most adapted species to arid's areas. Camel's milk, has nutritional, therapeutic properties, rich in salts, enzymes, inhibiting microbial activity, hence it's long shelf life and low ability coagulation. In Algeria, camel population is about 315000 heads, distributed over 17 provinces, with 75% in eight desert provinces and 25% in nine steppe provinces. Camel breeding, practiced in extensive, dependent on climatic conditions, low milk productivity, because of the lack of collection system, intended more to camel's meat production. Although this milk, highly required in urban areas and Northern provinces for therapeutic use. However, the collection and transport for long-distance alters it's physico-chemical quality. Aim: Study aimed to explore stability of physicochemical parameters pH, conductivity, viscosity, Titratable acidity, density, total azote, protein, whey and dry matter, during milking collection, transport and storage. Results gives values between : pH(6,38- 6,58); conductivity (5,73- 7,24μs/cm); viscosity (3- 3,75mpa/s); Titratable acidity (23,58- 27,06ºD); density (0,93- 1,03); total azote (3,68- 5,62g/l); protein (25- 34g/l); whey (71,78- 81,6%) and dry matter (24,5- 35,63%).showed the heterogeneity and instability of explored physicochemical's tests. Freezing seems the ideal method for the collection, storage, preservation and transportation of raw camel milk which is accessible only in arid areas.