Variability of vitamin C content in camel milk from Kazakhstan

In order to study the variability of vitamin C content in camel milk in Kazakhstan, 42 milk samples from Bactrian, 73 dromedary, 19 hybrids, 22 mixed farms and 24 undetermined species were collected. The sampling included four regions at four seasons within a year. In the whole sample, the mean value was 150.4± 105 mg/L (15-435 mg/L). The vitamin C content varied significantly according to the sampling place, with a higher value in Atyraou (175 ± 118 mg/L) compared to Almaty (161 ± 96 mg/L) and Chymkent (157 ± 109 mg/L), and quite a bit lower at Aralsk (80 ± 61 mg/L). Milk from the Bactrian camel was richer (169 ± 110 mg/L) than the dromedary (146 ± 93 mg/L) or hybrid (133 ± 129 mg/L). The seasonal variation was similar for all species. In winter dromedary milk was richer than Bactrian milk - the reverse to other seasons. The values for hybrid milk were intermediate between dromedary and Bactrian all year. On the whole, summer milk was richer (227 ± 110 mg/L) than autumn (180 ± 62 mg/L) and winter (157 ± 58 mg/L). The spring milk contained lower vitamin C concentration (75 ± 59 mg/L). All during the lactation period, vitamin C concentration in the dromedary camel varied from 48 to 256 mg/L (mean=184) and tended to increase during the lactation period. The colostrum contained less vitamin C than milk. (Résumé d'auteur