TITLE:
Handling, Processing, Utilization and Marketing of Ayib (Ethiopian Traditional Cottage Cheese) Varieties Produced in Selected Areas of Eastern Gojjam, Northwestern Highlands of Ethiopia
AUTHORS:
Aleme Asresie, Zelalem Yilma, Eyassu Seifu, Lemma Zemedu, Mitiku Eshetu, Mohammed Y. Kurtu
KEYWORDS:
Ayib, Hazo, Metata, Zureshekefign
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Animal Sciences,
Vol.8 No.1,
December
29,
2017
ABSTRACT: The study was conducted to asses handling,
processing, utilization, marketing as well as other socio-economic benefits of
traditional cheese varieties making and to identify major constraints of
traditional cheese varieties production in Awabal, Gozamin, Machakel and Dejen
districts of Eastern Gojjam. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect
data. A total of 240 smallholder dairy producers (60 households from each
district) were individually interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. The major traditional cheese varieties produced in the study areas include Ayib, Metata, Hazo and Zureshekefign. Among these, three of them
(Ayib, Metata and Hazo), are dominant. Respondents
indicated that Metata cheese variety has high nutritional values and
cure seven types of disease namely malaria and yellow fever, depressed
appetite; Ejeseb (stomach upset),
metabolic disorder (bloating), gastro-intestinal parasites, prevent nausea and
digestion upset. The respondents
reported twenty kinds of spices blended at one time during Metata cheese
preparation and five kinds of spices commonly added into Ayib during Ayib making. Various types of herbs and plant species are used for smoking and
washing of utensils during production of traditional cheese varieties in the
study areas. The major marketing constraints of traditional cheese varieties were absence of sufficient buyer in the market, traditional taboos to
sell cheese varieties in an open market, seasonal demand and
supply, distance to the market, transportation access and quality. The major
socio-economic benefits of traditional cheese varieties were to fulfill household necessities,
sources of additional income, to purchase dairy inputs and for children school
fee. Further scientific study needs to be conducted in order to confirm
nutritional and medicinal properties of Metata cheese variety. Therefore
the bio-active components of these spices and their effect on shelf life, nutritional
value, medicinal uses and other attributes on traditional cheese varieties needed further investigation.