What are the potential drawbacks or side effects of drinking camel milk?
We found no official page that lists side effects of camel milk specifically. The CDC and FDA warn that raw (unpasteurized) milk can carry disease-causing germs and advise choosing pasteurized milk, which is the main safety concern to know if camel milk is sold raw. The CDC page does not mention camel milk by name.
Free download
Milk and Dairy Storage Chart (PDF): How long milk, plant milks, cream, yogurt and kefir last, opened and unopened. 23 rows, each with its source.
Thank you
Your chart is ready
We use your email only for this download.Also free:
Home Bar Storage Chart (PDF)Juice, Soda and Water Storage Chart (PDF)Coffee, Tea and Hot Drinks Storage Chart (PDF)Drink Strength, Calories and Units Cheat Sheet (PDF)Want the full pack? About 10 printable sheets: a larger chart for each drink type, a “has it gone off?” checklist, date labels, a party planner and an inventory sheet.
In this article
What are the side effects of camel milk?
We searched for an official source (FDA, CDC, NHS, WHO) listing side effects of camel milk and did not find one. The CDC page we read does not mention camel milk, so we do not list side effects that no official source supports.
Is raw milk a risk?
The CDC says raw milk can carry germs such as Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, E. coli, Listeria, Brucella and Salmonella. Symptoms can include diarrhea, stomach cramping and vomiting. In some cases the CDC lists complications such as Guillain-Barre syndrome or hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can cause paralysis, kidney failure, stroke or death.
The FDA states that raw milk can contain a variety of disease-causing pathogens and that pasteurization is the only method that fully eliminates vegetative pathogens. These pages describe raw milk in general, not camel milk specifically.
Who is most at risk?
The CDC names children under 5, adults over 65, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems as having a higher risk of serious illness from raw milk. The FDA also names children and immunocompromised people.
How can you lower the risk?
The CDC recommends choosing pasteurized milk and dairy products. The CDC adds that good farm practices can reduce contamination but cannot guarantee safety.
Pregnancy, allergy and other claims
We found no official source on camel milk in pregnancy, breastfeeding or allergy. If you have a milk allergy, are pregnant or have a health condition, ask a doctor or pharmacist before trying it.
What are the disadvantages of camel milk?
The one documented drawback in the official sources we opened is infection risk from unpasteurized camel milk. A CDC Emerging Infectious Diseases report describes a brucellosis outbreak in Israel traced to commercially sold, unpasteurized camel milk; Brucella melitensis was recovered from 3 of the implicated brand’s milk bottles. The authors note that unpasteurized camel milk has gained international popularity because of its alleged medicinal properties.
Can camel milk carry disease even if the camel looks healthy?
Yes. The report says dromedary camels are capable of asymptomatic carriage of Brucella, so an infected animal may show no signs. It says brucellosis is mainly acquired through unpasteurized, contaminated dairy products, and that this outbreak came from web-based sales of an unregulated food product. It does not discuss pasteurization as a control, so for that point see the CDC and FDA raw milk advice above.
What else could be a downside?
Cost, taste and allergy: we found no official source on any of these for camel milk, so we do not list them. If you have a milk allergy, are pregnant or have a weakened immune system, ask a doctor or pharmacist first.
People also ask
What are the side effects of camel milk?
We found no official source that lists side effects of camel milk. The CDC and FDA warn about germs in raw milk in general.
Is raw camel milk safe to drink?
No official page we read says so. The CDC and FDA warn that raw milk can contain disease-causing germs and the CDC advises choosing pasteurized milk.
Who should avoid raw milk?
The CDC says children under 5, adults over 65, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems face a higher risk of serious illness.
What are the disadvantages of camel milk?
The main one in the official sources we opened is infection risk from unpasteurized milk: a CDC report traced a brucellosis outbreak in Israel to unpasteurized camel milk sold commercially.
Sources
About · How we verify this · Editorial policy · Corrections
What would help you most next?
One tap. Anonymous. It helps us decide what to build.
Thank you. The free charts above are yours to keep.
