DUBAI // A local company has proved the doubters wrong by producing the UAE's first commercial batch of camel milk cheese.
Researchers had claimed it would be impossible to make because camel milk does not coagulate as easily as cow or sheep milk - a vital step in cheesemaking.
But after three years of work, scientists at the Emirates Industry for Camel Milk and Products in Dubai, which sells its products under the Camelicious brand name, have solved the problem.
By April three types of camel milk cheese will be available in UAE supermarkets.
"It was difficult because the solid matter in the camel's milk is less than the cow's," said Mutasher Al Badry, the company's deputy general manager.
The milk contains less than 10 per cent solids, which makes it hard to get a yield of cheese that is commercially viable.
"In cow's milk, they have industrial and artificial items that we don't want to add because we want to reach a premium cheese," said Mr Al Badry.
The low yield means the cheese will be expensive - although prices have yet to be announced - and will be sold only in select supermarkets such as Spinneys, Union Co-op and Abu Dhabi Co-op.
About 1,000 litres a day of the farm's milk will be used to make the three types of cheese.
"We will produce a very low quantity in the first year because we don't have enough milk and we have a lot of demand for it," Mr Al Badry said.
One of the cheeses is ideal for salads, another for cooking and the third is a table cheese.
The packaging and branding for all three is still being finalised.
The "salad" cheese has a taste akin to feta, with a creamy texture, while the cooking cheese is similar to mozzarella, but with a softer interior.
The ingredients are healthy - camel milk has 40 per cent less fat and cholesterol than cow milk, three times more vitamin C, more minerals and iron.
"Camel milk has a lot of benefits," said Mr Al Badry. "It's very rich in vitamin C, calcium and has a lot of nutritional elements."
A Mauritanian company has produced a Brie-like cheese from camel milk for the past 20 years but it is sold only in Nouakchott, the nation's capital.
Camelicious said its cheese had received a royal seal of approval, having been taste-tested by chefs working for a UAE royal family.
"They were really happy with it, they decided which taste and which type to go for," Mr Al Badry said. "We have a vision to export all our products but first we need to fulfil local market needs with milk and cheese."
To that end, the farm is looking to buy more camels overseas, to increase its herd from 3,000 to about 6,000.
It is also seeking breeds that produce more milk - up to 12 litres a day, rather than the current six or seven.
For the time being, it is likely to export only camel milk powder, rather than fresh cheese, to avoid prohibitively high prices for international consumers.
cmalek@thenational.ae
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champioons League semi-final, first leg:
Liverpool 5
Salah (35', 45 1'), Mane (56'), Firmino (61', 68')
Roma 2
Dzeko (81'), Perotti (85' pen)
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
FIXTURES
Saturday, November 3
Japan v New Zealand
Wales v Scotland
England v South Africa
Ireland v Italy
Saturday, November 10
Italy v Georgia
Scotland v Fiji
England v New Zealand
Wales v Australia
Ireland v Argentina
France v South Africa
Saturday, November 17
Italy v Australia
Wales v Tonga
England v Japan
Scotland v South Africa
Ireland v New Zealand
Saturday, November 24
|Italy v New Zealand
Scotland v Argentina
England v Australia
Wales v South Africa
Ireland v United States
France v Fiji
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreators%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAri%20Katcher%2C%20Ryan%20Welch%2C%20Ramy%20Youssef%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERamy%20Youssef%2C%20Amr%20Waked%2C%20Mohammed%20Amer%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
