Materials and methods
2.1. Milk sample collection
Camel milk samples were collected from pastorally managed
camels in Erer valley, eastern Ethiopia in December 2010. Four litre
composite samples were placed in a container (bucket) and kept at
room temperature (22e23 C) for spontaneous fermentation to
take place. Milk samples were collected three times from the same
source and analysed separately.
2.2. Buttermaking
Before commencing the actual experiment, preliminary experiments
were conducted to standardise the buttermaking procedure. Churning of the sour milk was conducted at a pH value
of 4.10 and at 22e23 C. This churning temperature was based on
the recommendation of Farah et al. (1989). The temperature of the
sour milk was adjusted just before churning by putting the
container filled with milk into a vat of hot water. Then the milk was
stirred and the temperature measured using a thermometer.
Finally, the milk was removed from the hot water and churned
immediately. The method of agitation used was rapid swaying of
the churn by up and downward movement after hanging the
container on a pole using a rope. This method of churning was
found to be easy because it only requires application of force in the
upward direction whereas the downward movement occurs by
gravitation. Four litres of sour milk was churned at a time in a
Jerican (Viking, Pasir Gudang Edible Oils Son, BHD, Johor, Malaysia)
of 20 L capacity. The buttermaking experiment was repeated three
times.