A CASE STUDY OF THE INDIGENOUS TECHNOLOGY FOR MAKING WHITE SOFT CHEESE KESONG PUTI IN LUMBAN, LAGUNA, PHILIPPINES

Abstract

Philipp J Vet Anim Sci 2011, 37 (1): 89-100

A case study of the indigenous technology for processing white soft cheese was conducted in the town of Lumban in Laguna, Philippines. Information was gathered on the demographic profile of two cheese makers; their indigenous knowledge and practices; and the nature, volume, and marketing system of the kesong puti business. The receptivity of the cheese makers to the DTRI technology on white soft cheese processing and the chemical and microbiological qualities of the kesong puti produced in the town were determined. The cheese making business of the two cheese makers’ families dates back to 1900 and 1928, respectively. Cheese making is their main occupation. Both cheese makers use bahay asim (abomasum) to coagulate the milk.The average income from the business ranged from PhP15,000-40,000/month. Only one cheese maker expressed interest in the demonstration of the DTRI method for making white soft cheese. A major constraint to the adoption of the DTRI technology according to the cheese maker was the longer processing time and lower cheese yield obtained. The other cheese maker had confidence in her own traditional cheese making technology and expressed no interest in the DTRI method. Lumban cheese had 65.96-67.27% moisture, 2.20-2.60% ash, 11.49-13.14% total protein, 10.17- 10.33% fat and 2.03-2.15% salt. The pH ranged from 6.18 to 6.34. The total bacterial counts and yeast and mold counts ranged from 1.4-8.4 x 106 colony forming units (cfu)/g and 1.7-3.4 x 104 cfu/g, respectively. The coliform colonies were too numerous to count at 10-1 dilution, which is beyond the 10 cfu/g coliform count limit set by the Philippine Bureau of Food and Drugs.