Technological properties and biological activities of camel α-lactalbumin – A review

α-Lactalbumin (α-La) enrichment of formulae has received much attention as it is considered as one of the most nutritious food ingredient due to its high content of essential amino acids. Camel milk is deficient in β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg), which is the main whey protein in bovine milk, and therefore represents a source of α-La at a higher concentration than that of bovine milk; this makes the isolation of α-La from camel milk more feasible and economical. Furthermore, the content of essential amino acids in camel α-La is significantly higher than that of the bovine counterpart. This review presents the differences between camel and bovine α-La in a comparative study including extraction processes and antioxidant, antimicrobial, foaming and emulsifying properties. The examination of the biological activities and technological functionalities of camel α-La show it to be a scientifically interesting and industrially relevant ingredient for the food industry due to its nutritional value.