The impact of processing methods on the quality of Sudanese white cheese produced by small scale in New Halfa area | Vpliv tehnologije proizvodnje na kakovost sudanskega belega sira v majhnih proizvodnih enotah na območju Halfe

English. This study was carried out to compare the effects of production and processing methods of Sudanese white cheese produced in small production units on cheese quality. The study was based on surveying 10 small scale producers in New Halfa area (eastern Sudan) during the period of February to July, 2008. The production was carried out mainly by private sector (70%), while 30% were owned by governmental institutes. Milk used in the cheese making was fresh cow milk purchased from nomads (90%) compared to only 10% from dairy farms. Regarding the level of education, 60% of cheese producers finished secondary school and 40% were university graduates. The average age of cheese producers ranged between 35–50 years. The results showed no variation between cheese manufacturing methods in the majority of production units in New Halfa. The supervision by the health authority comprised about 80% of production units. Significant (P < 0.05) variation was found in fat and ash content and non significant differences were observed for total solids, protein content and the acidity of the Sudanese white cheese due to variation in education, training, ownership, health visits, heat treatment and marketing methods. Moreover, the producers owing the plant for cheese processing produced cheese with significantly (P < 0.05) high counts for total bacteria, yeast, mould and coliform. However training and the regular health visits were found to improve the hygienic quality. The study suggested that interventions and training of cheese producers would help to improve Sudanese white cheese quality in New Halfa area. In conclusion, traditional cheese methods need to be encouraged and improved to utilize the surplus milk in rural areas.

Slovenian. Namen študije je bil primerjati proizvodnjo in vpliv tehnologije proizvodnje belega sudanskega sira na kakovost sira v majhnih proizvodnih enotah. Zajeli smo 10 malih proizvajalcev na območju Halfe (vzhodni Sudan) v obdobju med februarjem in julijem 2008. Proizvodnja poteka večinoma pri privatnih proizvajalcih (70 %), medtem ko je 30 % proizvodnih enot v državni lasti. Večino svežega kravjega mleka za proizvodnjo odkupijo od nomadov (90 %), le 10 % ga proizvedejo na farmah krav molznic. Šestdeset odstotkov proizvajalcev sira je imela srednješolsko, 40 % pa visokošolsko izobrazbo. Večina proizvajalcev je bila stara med 35 in 50 leti. Rezultati kažejo, da med večino proizvodnih enot na območju New Halfa ni razlik v tehnologiji proizvodnje, saj večina proizvajalcev uporablja dodatek 7–10 % soli in 2–3 tablete sirišča na 220 litrov mleka. Večinoma kot embalažo uporabljajo plastične posode (80 %), samo 20 % proizvajalcev uporablja polietilenske vrečke. Dvajset odstotkov proizvajalcev sir prodaja kar v proizvodni enoti, 80 % pa izven nje. Nadzor kakovosti inšpekcija izvaja v 80 % proizvodnih enot. Statistično značilne razlike (p < 0,05) smo našli pri vsebnosti maščobe in masti, neznačilne pa pri vsebnosti beljakovin in kislosti sudanskega belega sira, kar je tudi posledica razlik v izobrazbi, izkušnjah, lastništvu, toplotni obdelavi in načinu trženja. Pri proizvajalcih, ki so lastniki proizvodnega obrata, smo našli v siru statistično značilno (p < 0,05) več bakterij, kvasovk, plesni in koliformnih bakterij. Usposabljanja proizvajalcev in redne inšpekcije izboljšujejo higiensko kakovost. Ugotavljamo, da nadzor in izobraževanje proizvajalcev izboljšuje kakovost sudanskega belega sir na območju New Halfa area in da je potrebno spodbujati tradicionalne metode predelave viškov mleka v ruralnih območjih.