Camel ice cream from Israeli desert.

A research scientist in the Negev desert in Israel has developed a new ice cream out of camel's milk. Professor Reuven Yagil has been conducting research into the qualities of camel's milk for the last six years, part of a total of 30 years of research on the creatures long known as "the ships of the desert." Yagil is the Slome Professor in Desert Animal Breeding at the International Camel Center, a part of the Ben Gurion University Desert Research Institute. Prof. Yagil told Ice Cream Reporter that in Israel the ice cream is called Gamalida, a play on the Hebrew words for camel, "gamal," and ice cream, "glida."

Camel's can produce up to 20 liters of milk per day. Since the animals are typically kept by desert nomads, and with little or no refrigeration available, the milk produced is quickly consumed before it can spoil. In the course of his research, Prof. Yagil has found that the milk, when frozen, can keep for up to a year and a half.

Camel's milk, according to Prof. Yagil, has many health benefits as a result of its containing several kinds of proteins, enzymes, insulin, and anti-bacterial elements not present in cow's milk. It has value as a treatment for ulcers, tuberculosis, breast cancer, and auto-immune diseases. In addition, camel's milk, unlike cow's milk, is safe for people who are lactose intolerant. It is also naturally lower in fat, with about a 2% fat content compared to cow's milk 12%.

The healthy aspects of camel's milk make for the potential appeal to western consumers of the ice cream made from it. Prof. Yagil has plans to begin exporting the ice cream and noted that his research team is in the process of moving to a new site ("camels and all") and expects shortly thereafter to gain permission from the health ministry to export his product. He explained that for export purposes he will rename the ice cream either "Desert Dessert" or "Droma-Dairy" a play on the fact that the one-humped camel is more properly called a dromedary.

Prof. Yagil reported that his best flavors are date, fig, and mango. He also told Ice Cream Reporter that one of his associates makes an apple and honey flavor for the Jewish New Year, and a blue and white colored vanilla flavor for the country's Independence Day celebration.