China Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Medicine ›› 2026, Vol. 53 ›› Issue (1): 71-80.doi: 10.16431/j.cnki.1671-7236.2026.01.007

• Review • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Research Progress on Volatile Flavor Compounds and Their Formation Mechanism in Camel Milk

DUO Qianqian1,2(), ZHAO Yan1,2, CHEN He1, SHAO Wei2, ZHENG Nan3, WANG Cheng1, ZHAO Yankun1,2,3()   

  1. 1.Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Agro-products Quality & Safety,Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs,Institute of Quality Standards & Testing Technology for Agro-Products,Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences,Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Agro-Products (Urumqi),Urumqi 830091,China
    2.Xinjiang Meat and Dairy Livestock Nutrition Laboratory,College of Animal Science,Xinjiang Agricultural University,Urumqi 830052,China
    3.Key Laboratory for Quality & Safety Control for Milk and Dairy Products of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs,Institute of Animal Science,Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences,Beijing 100193,China
  • Received:2025-04-10 Online:2026-01-05 Published:2025-12-26
  • Contact: ZHAO Yankun E-mail:1275297857@qq.com;yankunzhao90@163.com

Abstract:

Camel milk is highly regarded for its distinctive flavor and rich nutritional composition. Volatile flavor compounds, which are key carriers of its unique sensory characteristics, play a central role in determining the quality of camel milk and influencing the development of the related industry. This review systematically elaborates on the composition and characteristics of major flavor compounds in camel milk, such as aldehydes, ketones, acids, and esters. It also examines the formation mechanisms of these flavor substances through pathways including lipid metabolism, protein hydrolysis, and carbohydrate metabolism. Furthermore, the impact of various factors (such as storage conditions, packaging methods, heat treatment intensity, feed composition, seasonal variations, as well as candidate genes and regulatory factors) on the flavor profile of camel milk is summarized. The review aims to provide a theoretical foundation for the high-value utilization of camel milk resources, the development of distinctive flavored dairy products, and the regulation of flavor and quality in camel milk.

Key words: camel milk; flavor substances; formation mechanism

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