Syrian Shanklish and its quality [Thesis (M.Sc.)]

Rumano; Moldavo; moldavo. Sheep and goat production are playing a big role in the livelihoods of small-scale resource-poor farmers in Middle Eastern countries. The milk production from small ruminants is mainly seasonal and the lactation period occurs mainly during the spring till the beginning of summer. However, goats are milked for longer periods often till mid or end of September. Milk is processed by households and small scale producers to produce local dairy products. Shanklish is among these products and is considered an important one.A survey was carried out to characterize the processing systems in nine regions in the costal side of Syria. Shanklish samples were collected for product characterization as a part of the survey activity. The chemical composition of Shanklish shows that the content of fat, protein and total solids were affected by region, showing evidence of differences on product quality and knowledge variation among villages. The content of fat ranges between 5-13% and the total solids between 51-57%, showing a low churning efficiency and differences in product characteristics among producers. With the exception of samples collected in one region, all other collected samples contained high levels of aflatoxin. In addition, an improved method for Shanklish processing was developed and tested in the lab with the aim to enhance the quality of the product and to overcome problems faced by producers. Comparisons between both production methods show the possibility of enhancing the product, making use of available culture starters without affecting the product characteristics.