Proximate and Bacteriological Analysis of Raw and Fermented Cheese in Ikole and Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria

This study was designed to investigate the proximate and bacteriological quality of raw and fermented cheese in Ikole and Ado Ekiti, Ekiti state, Nigeria. The results of the proximate analysis showed that the moisture content of raw cheese from Ikole was 88.20% and is higher than that from Ado-Ekiti. While the moisture content of fermented cheese from both study sites is the same, 71.09% and 71.09% respectively. The ash content of fermented cheese from Ado was 1.06% and is higher than the ash content of fermented cheese from Ikole which was 0.79%, however, the ash content of raw cheese from Ikole (0.84%) was higher than that of raw cheese from Ado (0.74%). The fat content of fermented cheese from Ado and Ikole was observed to be significantly similar, having a value of 13.04% and 13.38% respectively, while the fat content of raw cheese from Ado was significantly higher (6.99%) than that of raw cheese from Ikole (3.54%). The mean crude protein of fermented cheese from Ikole is 9.18% which is higher than the mean crude protein of fermented cheese from Ado which is 8.70% and the crude protein of raw cheese from Ado and Ikole is significantly the same which is 3.88% and 3.68% respectively. The result of bacteriological analysis of raw and fermented cheese from Ikole and Ado Ekiti safe in terms of spores forming and Lactobacillus species, but not for mould spore, E. coli, Mesophilic bacteria, Bacillus, Coliforms, Staphilococcus aureus and shigella which may cause pathogenicity in raw and fermented cheese products.