Influence of Salt and Fermentation on the Antioxidant and Oxidative Stability of Camel Milk Butter

Abstract

Butter is a dairy product, rich with fats and significant in terms of its nutritional and 
functional significance. The aim of this work was to determine the compositional, antioxidant, and 
oxidative stability properties of four varieties of camel milk butter, that is, sweet cream (salted and 
unsalted), cultured cream (salted and unsalted). The fatty acid composition of camel milk is unique 
because it has high content of unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins (A, E, C) and minerals relative to the 
bovine milk which could be beneficial in improving the antioxidant potential and oxidative stability 
of camel milk products. The churning and fermentation methods were standardized to prepare the 
butter samples before the analyses of chemical composition, DPPH radical scavenging activity, 
reducing power, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), peroxide value, induction period, and sensory 
properties. Findings showed that the moisture content, fat content and non-fat dry matter content of 
all types of butter were in compliance with the identity criteria that are set in regard to bovine butter. 
Antioxidant activity, reducing power, and TAC were measured at significantly higher in cultured 
cream butters than non-cultured ones, but salt addition did not affect them significantly. The 
parameters of lipid oxidation such as peroxide and conjugated diene values were low and maintained 
during the 90 days of storage, which revealed high oxidative resistance. This induction time was 
marginally less in cultured butter and this indicates greater proportion of unsaturated fatty acids. 
Sensory analysis revealed positive color, flavor and texture stability of all the treatments. All in all, 
the camel milk butter showed a high potential of antioxidant properties, oxidative stability and 
palatability, hence, indicating its potential usefulness as a functional dairy fat in substituting the 
traditional bovine butter.