Autism spectrum disorder is a severe neurodevelopment malfunctions that can be realized at 3 years of age, and are characterized by impairments in communication and social interaction. In addition, autism is associated with high prevalence of gastrointestinal issues such as diarrhea and mental retardation.
It has been revealed that the consumption of camel milk in autistic cases improved motor skills, language and social communication. There are some personal experiences of the autistic kids moms and the case reported from autistic centres.
How the Camel Milk Works?
Researchers reported use of camel milk possibly leads to recovering immune system, due to the immunoglobulins of camel milk; therefore brain damage can be prevented when camel milk is fed at an early age. Camel milk consumption cause significant improvement in the clinical symptoms in children with autism that patients became quieter and less destructive and showed better emotional expression and communication.
Conclusion
The preliminary findings are very encouraging but it needs to do more studies about period and dosage of camel milk consumption on oxidative stress and hence the treatment of Autism spectrum disorder.
The safety and the shelf life is always a challenge for the camel milk. Africa is producing the majore portion of the camel milk and the options are very limited to keep and transport camel milk entact and safe. Now, the researchers from institutions in Denmark and Ethiopia have isolated new strains of lactic acid bacteria from raw camel milk, which can be used in a starter culture that both acidifies the milk and kills off even very large amounts of various disease-causing microorganisms in the milk. The researchers believe this to be a novel discovery for making camel milk products safer to consume.
The freeze-dried starter is the result of a five-year project wherein experiments have shown that five litres of camel milk can make enough starter culture to produce half a million litres of safe, fermented camel milk. The team behind the study recommends that the milk is heat treated prior to adding the culture to help further reduce disease-causing bacteria.
Turkmen! A Traditional Nomadic Community of Central Asia
Turkmen is a native community of central Asia, predominantly live in Turkmenistan but a sizable number is also found in Afghanistan, Iran, followed by Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Turkmens are very traditional and have strong connections with livestock and animal agriculture. They are a strong and long traveling nomadic clan of Central Asia and the custodian of the precious sheep, goat, cattle, and camel genetic resources. A major portion of the community is settled in the towns and some are in transition but still, a sizable portion of the community still loves livestock keeping in nomadic style. The community is practicing camel nomadism for ages and owning a very famous and good milking camel breed, the Aravan.
Importance of Camel Milk in Turkmen Community
The Turkmen Cameleer Nomads love camel and camel milk. They, like other camel keepers of the world, have their own traditional camel milk product called CHAL written in Turkmen is CALY.
Chal, the fermented camel milk production, traditionally prepared by Turkmen nomads.
The Turkmen cameleers use fresh camel milk to prepare Chal. It is actually sour camel milk prepared traditionally. It is the same as Shubat in Kazakhstan. After preparation, it has a white color like other milk products but having a strong sour taste. Chal is a summer staple food, the nomads eat bread while taking sips of the Chal. They think Chal is cold in nature and provide a cold environment to the body from the inside. The traditional cameleers also consider Chal as anti-infectious and virucidal.
Also, a camel farm with the size of 500 Arvan camels is producing Chal, Agaran, and cream with the brand name Gudratly önüm. https://business.com.tm/post/4301/turkmen-farm-supplies-fresh-camel-milk-to-consumers. So, it means that Chal is not only made by the Turkmen community but also prepared even at a larger scale in Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.
Making method
There are certain processes, which are considered as the major steps to make the Chal. The processes are given below in ensuing lines.
The fresh camel milk is sourced in a skin bag, mostly sheep or goat skin or a ceramic jar (a modernized container).
Add already soured milk (more old, more and more strong culture to make Chal). The sour milk maybe from camel or other livestock, mainly cow, followed by goat and sheep.
The mixture is stored in the container as mentioned above, get airtight, shaken to properly mix and store to get fermented.
In the meanwhile fresh camel milk is added on different intervals for the next 2 to 3 days. But the chal can be used after the 8 hours of fermentation, though more time means more stronger and delicious Chal.
Camel milk fermentation needs longer time period then the other milks, i.e. the cow milk needs 4 hours to be fermented but for the same amount the camel milk needs double time, 8 hours at 30 centigrade temperature.
If the weather is cooler, then it needs more time to be fermented as camel milk needs more than 72 hours at 10 C temperature to be fermented.
If strong and highly sour milk is used for fermentation, then a thick layer appear on the surface of the Chal, which is known as AGARAN (fermented fat).
After the removal of the AGARAN, the leftover is called as Chal which is also called DOUGH in Persian.
But if we want it be sourer and more tasty we can leave it again for 4 or 8 hour s in 20 to 25 c to be more carbonated.
You can see the composition of plain camel milk and Chal which will give you more clarity about the value of the Chal. The link is provided here to know further about the Chal. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chal
Camel is very unique and special creature, blessed with very unique charecteristics. As the camel is unique and incredible, the same are the products of camel, especially the camel milk. Traditionally, camel milk had been using for the cure of complex ailments in the long periods of the history. Now, the different scientific studies are being conducted and many are underway to explore the magic powers of camel milk and to find the molecules in camel milk which materializing the healing of different diseases.
I hereby give some exemples of the precious molecules found in the camel milk which are incredibly work for the curing of the complex health ailments. One of the best example is the immunoglobulins. The immunoglobulins of the camel milk combat autoimmune diseases by strengthen the immune system, and can fight some bacteria like tuberculosis and protect the body from bacterial and viral infections.
Camel milk contains various protective proteins and enzymes which have antibacterial and immunological properties that strengthens the antibacterial & antiviral activities. Camel milk can enhance the cellular immune responses and inhibits the replication of virus’ DNA and recovers chronic, such phenomenon support in healing of hepatitis B.
The most important in the present scenario of immunity crisis is the lactoferrin. Lactoferrin of camel milk proved to be more potent (anti-viral) than human and cow’ milk. Also the antibodies of the camel milk are selective controller to virus systems; camel milk lactoferrin inhibits the entry of the virus into the cells and saving its consumers from the viral diseases.
A Scientific Breakthrough in the context of the COVID-19
Llama antibodies could help neutralize COVID-19; Discovered in Brussels back in 1989. A new study from the Vlaams Institutes if Biotechnology in Ghent, Belgium, has reported that antibodies obtained from the blood of llamas can help fight the coronavirus.
American and Belgian scientists told the Sunday Times that “These molecules may serve as useful therapeutics during coronavirus outbreaks, The feasibility of using [llama antibodies] merits further investigation.”
Having been in the camel’s world of research and development, I have been advocating the camel as the animal of choice in the challenging environments as a model animal. The camel (Arabian and Bactrian) milk is also rich with super and unique nutrients, some act as ant-infectious and immune boosters. Camel milk makes immune system stronger as it contains series of protective proteins such as lysozyme, lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase, immunoglobulin G, and immunoglobulin A.http://camel4all.blog/2020/04/22/a-book-on-camels-wins-nautilus-award/. I hereby suggest clinical trials for the camel milk as an agent of antibodies against the viral infections in particular with the COVID-19. Camel milk have already been studied as support in the diabetes management.
Llama, Alpaca and Camels are same Family
Some researches revealed the peculiar properties of antibodies found in llama blood, camels and alpacas–which are all members of the camelid family. It was originally used in HIV studies and has proved to be effective in fighting a wide range of diseases and viruses which include the recent outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).
Conclusion: Camel is the solution to the complex problems of health and nutrition.
SUSTAINABLE FARMING FOR FOOD AND HEALTH 