DUBAI // The UAE's first commercial batch of camel-milk cheese is expected to hit supermarket shelves as early as next week.
After a year of test production, White Gold cheese will be sold in supermarkets including Geant, Hyper Panda, Abu Dhabi Co-operative, Union Co-operative and Sharjah Co-operative in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.
"Finding the right design and packaging took time," said Muhammad Ashraf, assistant sales manager at Camelicious, which makes the cheese.
There are three varieties: Nabulsi, with small black caraway seeds; Akkawi, a soft, unripened white cheese with a smooth texture and a mild salty taste; and traditional white cheese, which resembles cottage cheese and has a mild to sharp taste. The latter is cured and stored in its own salty whey or water brine.
"It is processed in many degrees of firmness, ranging from soft and crumbly to fairly hard," said Benjamin Gnanaraj, quality controller at Camelicious.
All three types are intended for use in salads, sandwiches and cooking. The cheese, which has a two-week shelf life, has a fat content of nine grams per 100g - far lower than many other cheeses, which typically contain between 25g and 35g of fat per 100g.
About 10 per cent of the 5,000 to 6,000 litres of milk produced each day by the farm's 3,000 camels is being used for cheese.
"Every day we produce 30 to 40 kilograms of cheese," Mr Ashraf said. "Some of it goes to taste trials, some to royal palaces and some to hotels and cafes for chefs to sample it in recipes and learn how to use it, because they're not used to this kind of cheese."
Because camel milk contains less than 10 per cent of solids, its yield of cheese is low. "From 12 litres of milk, we can produce one kilogram of cheese," he said. "The fat content is very low and that's what is used to make the cheese."
The low yield makes the cheese expensive, costing from Dh39 for a 200g, tent-shaped pack.
Since last week the cheese has been available at Camelicious's Majlis Cafe in the Dubai Mall. It is expected to be on sale in supermarkets within the next 10 days.
The company is also preparing to export the cheese. "The demand from GCC countries is high," Mr Ashraf said. "People are becoming more aware of its health benefits, so we're now working on the export packaging."
The farm is in the process of increasing its herd. Every month, it receives at least 200 camels from Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Yemen, Pakistan, Oman and the UAE.
"Increasing milk production is not that easy because we're playing with nature," he said. "Some camels can give 20 litres a day but others only two."
The average is about seven litres, up from five just a few years ago.
"It will take us time but we aim to reach 12 litres," Mr Ashraf said. "But it will be highly beneficial for people who can't consume cow's milk."
Camelicious also plans on producing labneh, a soft cheese made from dried yogurt, white butter, ghee and other types of cheese using camel milk in the future.
cmalek@thenational.ae
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Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
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Director: Lana Wachowski
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick
Rating:****
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Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
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9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (D) 2,000m
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Saturday September 12
Crystal Palace v Southampton
Fulham v Arsenal
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Tottenham v Everton
West Brom v Leicester
West Ham v Newcastle
Monday September 14
Brighton v Chelsea
Sheffield United v Wolves
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Burnley v Manchester United
Manchester City v Aston Villa
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