Assessment of rural dairy products in north kordofan state, Sudan-1

Rural dairy processing situation in western Sudan (North Kordofan) was assessed through a structured questionnaire. Some rural dairy products were sampled and assayed for bacteriological and chemical composition. The objectives were to investigate traditional dairy products and evaluate their nutrients composition and hygienic situation. Descriptive statistics were used for the statistical analysis of the survey data, a randomized complete block design for the cheese samples data. There were seasonal fluctuations in quantities of milk processed. Most of the producers (62.7%) used mixed cow, sheep and goat milks for cheese processing. Braided cheese had a high cost of production compared with white soft cheese. Major production constraints stated were marketing, fluctuations in milk supply and shortage of water. Milk sources reported were from nomadic and transhumant herds, and to a lesser extent from villages and only very few of the producers had their own dairy animals. Cheese samples (white soft and braided) contained variable chemical constituents that varied from location to another. Staphylococcus, bacillus, Corynebacterium, and Aerococcus were all detected in these samples, but they were free from Coliform bacteria.