Chemical and microbiological evaluation of soft white cheese (domiati cheese)‎ sold in Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate

Abstract EN

A total of one hundred samples of soft white cheese (Domiati cheese) which produced by modern and primitive factories were collected from dairy shops and supermarkets in Kafr El-Sheikh and Desuq cities (25 samples each of modern and primitive factories from each city).

The samples were collected aseptically in sterile polyethylene bags, placed in an insulated icebox and transferred to the laboratory with a minimum of delay.

Each sample was divided into three parts, first one prepared for organoleptic inspection ; the second for chemical examination while the third one taken for microbiological examination.

The study revealed that all the samples examined from Kafr El-Sheikh and Desuq cities and produced from modern factories were accepted organoleptically, chemically and microbiologically, while 28 % from both cities and produced from primitive factories were rejected organoleptically.

Regarding the chemical analysis 52 %, 20 % and 24 % of the examined samples from Kafr El-Sheikh city and 56 %, 28 % and 36 % from Desuq city were rejected due to hading moisture %, fat /dry matter % and protein % respectively, more than the limits recommended by Egyptian standard for Domiati cheese 1008–3 \ 2005.

Concerning the microbiological examination 60 %, 48 % and 60 % of the examined samples from Kafr El-Sheikh city and 72 %, and 92 % from Desuq city were rejected due to contamination with mould, yeast and coliforms counts respectively, more than the permissible limits of the aforementioned standard.

Moreover, Salmonellae, Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes failed to be detected from all the samples examined from both cities and produced either from modern or primitive factories.

So the study prove that Domiati cheese produced from modern factories were safe for human consumption while those produced from primitive factories unsafe.

Therefore, strict hygienic measures should be adopted during production of such product.