Potential of camel meat as a non-traditional high quality source of protein for human consumption

Abstract

) are domesticated (Murray, 1989). The llama and alpaca are mainly used for meat and fiber production. Since their domestication, camels have played a vital role in the daily life of many societies, where other livestock farming operations cannot be easily practiced. The mor-phological features of camels make them well adapted to the harsh envi-ronment. In recent years, camel meat and milk have become increasingly available in many countries for the beneficial health benefits.Although the existing regional camel meat market is not yet well de-veloped, approximately 250,000 camels are slaughtered annually in dif-ferent countries. Camel meat is considered beneficial for health and is used in some countries as a medicine for some diseases including hyper-acidity, hypertension, pneumonia, and respiratory diseases (Kurtu, 2004).This article discusses the role of dromedary and Bactrian camels as high quality meat producers. The economic value of camel meat as an alternative source of red meat for human consumption is also discussed as well as the challenges of consumer acceptance of camel meat.