Making of pasteurized Lfrik (fermented Moroccan camel milk) by selected lactic starters

Abstract

Traditional Moroccan Lfrik is processed by spontaneous fermentation of whole raw camel milk at ambient temperature. In this study, pasteurized Lfrik was made using pasteurized camel milk inoculated with strains of Lactococcus and Leuconostoc obtained from selected commercial starters (Flora Danica and CHN11) according to characteristics of the fermented milk. Biochemical and microbial changes during fermentation were studied. The acidification behavior of the fermented camel milk and cow milk were compared in eight samples of each one. Fermentation rate was slower in camel milk than in cow milk in which the acidity was twice higher. However, the Non Protein Nitrogen levels increase was faster during camel milk fermentation than cow milk fermentation. Natural benzoic acid was found at higher concentration in final fermented camel milk products. In addition, organoleptic quality of the pasteurized Lfrik has been tested and was found to be similar to that of the traditional Lfrik.

Keywords

• Lfrik
• camel milk
• characteristics
• controlled fermentation
• sensory quality