The future of camel milk is so bright that the FAO predicts the dairy product could appear one day on European supermarket shelves, reports Anthony Fletcher for the website www.foodnavigator.com

But although demand from the Sahara to Mongolia is booming, the 5.4 million tonnes produced every year isn't enough to go round. The FAO estimates there are an estimated 200 million potential customers in the Arab world and millions more in Africa, Europe and the Americas . Slightly saltier than cow's milk, camel milk is highly nutritious. Designed for animals that live in some of the roughest environments, it is three times as rich in Vitamin-C as cow's milk. In Russia , Kazakhstan and India doctors often prescribe it to convalescing patients. Besides Vitamin-C, it is known to be rich in iron, unsaturated fatty acids and B vitamins.

(For the rest, go to the 'Science & Nutrition' section of www.foodnavigator.com)