Emir. J. Food Agric ● Vol 30 ● Issue 4 ● 2018 249 The enthusiasm for camel production Bernard Faye CIRAD-ES, Campus International de Baillarguet, TA/C122, UMR SELMET, 34098 Montpellier Cedex *Corresponding author: Bernard Faye, CIRAD-ES, Campus International de Baillarguet, TA/C122, UMR SELMET, 34098 Montpellier Cedex France. E-mail: faye@cirad.fr; bjfaye50@gmail.com The interest for camel rearing and production is increasing strongly for the last 20 years in many countries, including Western countries where the camel is newly implemented. As example, the implementation of camel dairy farms in Netherland, Italy, USA or even in Australia testifes the growing enthusiasm for the camel products, especially milk. This growing interest is partially in relation with the expected medicinal and dietetic “virtues” of the camel milk, and up to a certain point, of the camel meat. This is an important challenge for the camel scientists through the world. Consequently, numerous papers regarding camel are focused on the fne components of their milk potentially in relationship with its properties, empirically or scientifcally attested. The present special issue of Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture is participating to this approach with several papers on camel milk composition. This composition can be infuenced by feeding as for other animals. Cherifa Benmohamed et al., showed that milk from camel living in extensive farming system, i.e. fed with natural pastures, had a higher content in vitamin C than in milk from camel reared in intensive farm. Moreover, this last milk did not contain some fatty acids as lauric, pentadecanoic and heptadecanoic acids contrary to camel living in the Sahara. In most of the camel countries, milk is consumed fresh or fermented, and in modern sector pasteurized. The form of consumption is mainly under liquid form, more rarely as yoghourt or cheese. Yet, the diversifcation of the camel dairy products is an important way for developing the camel milk sector in the local economies. In that sense, the studies regarding the yoghourt processing for improving the gel are essential of camel dairy industry. In his paper, Alaa Ibrahim has shown how to improve the quality of fermented product by enhancing β-galactosidase enzymatic activity of different strains of lactic bacteria thanks to suitable rupture-cell method. As stated by Divyang Solanki and Subrota Hati, fermented camel milk is characterized by some health benefts supported by many bio-functional properties One of the proteins produced by lactic bacteria isolated from camel milk with a potential health effect is bacteriocin. In their paper, Zahia Benmouna et al., showed that the bacterial inhibitory activity induced by some lactic bacteria strains could be optimized by using specifc media for the growing lactic bacteria population. From their side, Meriem Toualbia et al., assessed the antagonist effect of one lactic bacteria strain isolated from camel milk (Lactobacillus plantarum) against diarrheal bacteria affecting human children. These two papers converge towards the idea of natural antibacterial effect of fermented camel milk. In addition, Mohammed Yahyaa et al., proved that fermented camel milk has a signifcant hypocholesterolaemic effect on rats. This effect is observable also on the ratio Low (LDL)/High (HDL) density lipoprotein cholesterol contributing to the liver protection, notably to the decrease of steatosis and fbrosis in rats fed with fermented camel milk compared to non-fermented. Dairy productivity in camel is known to be relatively low compared to the other dairy animals. The improvement of this productivity is an important challenge, too, for the camel sector. Genetic improvement and rational feeding are among the main way for increasing the milk availability in camel as for other farm animals. But a better knowledge of physiology of lactation is also necessary as stated by the review of Kaskous. The adaptation of camel to machine milking is effectively an essential point in modern camel dairy industry. In this review, the author showed that the lactating camel requires longer stimulation, higher vacuum level and faster milking than for cow for example. Regarding camel meat, less publications are available in the literature compared to those devoted to camel milk, but the interest for camel meat is also increasing in relation with new fndings on its high dietetic value: low-cholesterol, high essential amino-acid index, stimulant and hypotensive effect. In the present issue, one contribution is focused on the seasonal variability of camel meat quality just after Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture. 2018. 30(4): 249-250 http://www.ejfa.me/ EDITORIAL