Growth, viability, cockle shell, egg production performance, egg quality traits.

Abstract

Cheese is a popular fermented dairy product that is produced globally either for direct consumption or as an ingredient of other food items. Nowadays, Cheese production has converted into a large industry from a cottage industry. In 2020, the global cheese market worth stands at 100 billion dollars and cheese production has increased by about 25% between 2005 and 2015. Mainly two varieties of cheeses marketed in Bangladesh. Apart from traditional Dhaka cheese, globally familiar Mozzarella cheese is sold by a leading agro-based company. Our study evaluates the quality and sanitary condition of cheeses marketed in Bangladesh. Samples were collected from three different districts of Bangladesh. The quality of the cheese was mainly evaluated based on sensory, chemical, and microbiological parameters. Dhaka cheese is a traditional cheese variety under the semi-hard class which is mainly produced in the Haor area of Kishoreganj district. Mozzarella cheese is a member of a pasta-filata family of Italian origin. According to the study, no significant difference was found in sensory attributes among the brands of Dhaka cheese, whereas a significant difference was observed in the finish and texture score among the brands of Mozzarella cheese. The study determined Moisture (%), Fat (%), Protein (%), Titratable Acidity (%), and Salt (%) of Dhaka cheese samples were 47.36 ± 5.52, 27.03 ± 3.35, 20.64 ± 1.50, 1.39 ± 0.56, 2.57 ± 0.43 respectively. In contrast, Moisture (%), Fat (%), Protein (%), Titratable Acidity (%), and Salt (%) of Mozzarella cheese samples were 51.03 ± 4.55, 19.27 ± 4.32, 24.73 ± 2.68, 1.12 ± 0.51, 0.78 ± 0.47 respectively. A relatively higher coliform count was reported in Dhaka cheese samples than in Mozzarella cheese samples. Four out of five brands of Dhaka cheese were reported to have coliform colony growth while only one of the five brands was containing coliform colony growth. The total coliform count of Dhaka cheese samples ranges from 1.5 × 102 cfu/g to 200 × 102 cfu/g. On the other hand, the total coliform count of Mozzarella cheese samples lies between 0.9 × 102 cfu/g to 1 × 102 cfu/g.