Researchers turn camel and goat milk into lotion

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Peanut body lotion./AGATHA NGOTHO. Amaranth body lotion./AGATHA NGOTHO. Goat milk lotion./AGATHA NGOTHO. Mutsanzi Arhend, a researcher from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) who is the innovator of lotions made form fram produce./AGATHA NGOTHO. 

Camel milk has long been a source of food and income for pastoralist communities, while goat milk is largely domestic treat.

Amaranth, commonly known as terere, is mainly grown and cherished as a vegetable, while peanuts are best known as snacks or for making peanut butter.

But researchers at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) have developed lotions and body creams using camel and goat milk, amaranth and peanuts, creating new opportunities for value addition while tapping into the growing beauty and personal care market.

Mutsanzi Arhend, a researcher and technologist in the university’s chemistry department, says the products were developed after researchers explored ways of using locally available products beyond their traditional uses.

“We realised most of the products in the market are largely synthetic-based. We wanted to develop products using ingredients that are more familiar to consumers,” he says.

The researchers say about 99 per cent of the ingredients used in their formulations are edible or are derived from ingredients commonly used as food.

Arhend says the research team was particularly interested in components found in the milk and oils that are commonly used in skin-care formulations.

He says camel and goat milk contain retinol, while amaranth and peanut oils contain vitamin E, nutrients that have applications in skin-care products.

The formulations are marketed as products that can help moisturise and support the appearance of healthy skin, including skin affected by dryness and signs of ageing.

However, Arhend says the research is not only about making another beauty product.

For the scientists, he adds, the bigger opportunity lies in connecting farmers to a market beyond the traditional sale of raw agricultural products.

Goat farmers, for example, have traditionally kept the animals for meat, breeding or milk for household consumption. Camel milk, meanwhile, is an important product for pastoralist communities, but its potential uses are much wider.

“Most people have been rearing goats just for meat, although some also produce milk. We realised the milk industry in goats has not been fully exploited,” he says.

The same thinking applies to camel milk. Instead of selling or consuming the milk alone, farmers could potentially supply processors who use it as an ingredient in value-added products.

For Arhend, this creates an opportunity for farmers to move beyond the traditional sale of raw produce and tap into higher-value markets.

The researchers are also looking at amaranth, which remains less widely cultivated than other vegetable varieties.

While terere is a familiar vegetable in many Kenyan households, grain amaranth has received less attention from farmers and consumers.

The crop could offer another opportunity for farmers because it can tolerate relatively dry conditions and does not require large amounts of water, according to the innovator.

He says that, while it can be enjoyed at the dinner table, it can also be extracted for use in products such as creams and lotions.

The researchers believe such innovations could help reduce wastage and create additional income streams after harvest.

Products such as amaranth and peanuts can be dried and stored before processing, while milk can also be processed into powder to extend its shelf life.

This means farmers could potentially have more options for marketing their produce instead of being forced to sell immediately after harvest, when prices may be low.

“Once harvested, these products can be dried and stored for a period of time. A farmer can then have another source of income after the harvest,” Arhend says.

For camel and goat farmers, value addition could similarly create a market for milk beyond direct consumption.

He says they are already packaging the products in different sizes, targeting consumers who want locally made skin-care products.

The 100ml lotion retails at Sh180, while the 150ml and 250ml packs cost Sh250 and Sh310 respectively. A 200g body cream costs Sh350.

Arhend says the team has also considered consumers who may react to peanut oil. An amaranth-oil formulation provides an alternative.

He, however, cautions that people with known allergies should check ingredients and test products appropriately before widespread use.

“Crops and livestock can have uses far beyond what is traditionally expected of them. A goat need not only produce meat, camel can provide more than milk for the household, and terere can be more than a plate of vegetables,” says Arhend.

He concludes by saying that with research and processing, different farm products could become ingredients for entirely new industries.

“This could potentially open additional markets for the farmers who produce them,” he says.