Recently, the use of camel milk has increased as a new and alternative animal protein source for human consumption. However, there are some differences in the composition of camel milk compared with other kind of milk sources. One of these differences is that camel milk contains in high concentrations of antimicrobial agents such as lysozyme, lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase and immunoglobulins. In many studies, it was reported that camel milk is not suitable for production of fermented milk especially for yoghurt due to the high concentration of antimicrobial substances. The aim of this study, to investigate suitability of the mixture of camel milk with different ratio of cow, sheep and goat milk for yoghurt production. After preparing of milk mixtures heat treated at 90°C for 15 minutes the mixtures were cooled to 45°C. The starter culture (YC 350) was added and incubated at 42°C until the pH reached 4.7. During fermentation every hour the pH, SH and viscosity were measured. According to the results of analysis in which the highest viscosity and the fastest pH drop, mixtures were chosen as optimum points for yoghurt production. In these optimum points yoghurt production were performed and all of the samples were stored for 1., 7., 14. and 28. days at 4°C. During the storage, water holding capacity and syneresis analyses were conducted. According to the results, the optimum mixture was determined at 80% :20%cow milk:camel milk mixture. However, after 4 weeks of storage it was concluded that an increase in the syneresis and a decrease in water holding capacity (%) were found for yoghurt obtained from 80% :20:% cow-camel milk mixture.

Quality of plain set yoghurt was investigated by varying levels of ultrafiltration concentration of cow skim milk (1-without ultrafiltration, 1.5 and 2 folds) and inoculum (2, 2.5 and 3%) of yoghurt culture (Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus 1:1). Titratable acidity development and pH reduction were significantly faster during incubation of yoghurt with increasing ultrafiltration concentration level and inoculum level. Increased ultrafiltration concentration level decreased spontaneous whey syneresis, but increased water holding capacity and firmness of the product significantly. Body & texture and overall acceptability scores were significantly better in yoghurts prepared from 1.5 fold concentrated milk irrespective of the inoculum level studied. Inoculum level did not show any significant effect on the quality of yoghurt, but higher inoculum level decreased the incubation period significantly. Optimized product was obtained with 1.5 fold concentrated skim milk standardized to 3.3% fat and incubated with 2% inoculum level in about five and a half hour of incubation. Optimized product had 13.60±0.02% total solids, 3.31±0.01% fat, 5.27±0.04% protein, 4.20±0.03% lactose and 0.82±0.02% ash. Whey syneresis, water holding capacity and firmness in optimized product were nil, 63.49% and 1.89 N, respectively. Thus, high quality plain yoghurt could be prepared by employing ultrafiltration, without addition of stabilizers, which is otherwise widely used commercially for the manufacture of yoghurt to control its wheying off and body.

Soil moisture has a vital role in the cultivation of crops. Its sufficiency and availability to crop- water supplies depends on the management practices of soil and amount of available water to the soil. This study examines the influence of rice husk biochar on the water holding capacity of soil in the savannah ecological zone of Ghana. Increasing rate of rice husk biochar increased water-holding capacity of soils. 4t/ha rice husk biochar showed higher significant differences among the treatments. It is recommended that 4t/ha rice husk biochar should be applied to increase the water-holding capacity of the soil.