Composition, Microbial Quality and Acceptability of Butter.

The study was conducted to assess the hygienic handling and processing, microbial, compositional and acceptability of butter in Hawassa.The sanitary practice were found to be sub-standard. About 63.3 % of the women were involved in milk processing and products. Butter making materials used in the area include clay pot, spices and herbs such as Ruta chalepensis, Nigella sativa, Aframomum angusti-folium, and Allium ursinum were commonly used by the farmers to improve aroma and increase shelf life of butter. The average gross compositions of butter from market were: Fat: 82.3, Ash: 0.14, TS: 84.95; and moisture 15.05. The percent moisture content and total solid of butter from the dairy product shop was significantly higher (p>0.01) than open market. Butter sampled from shops and open markets had mean yeast and mould count and lactic acid bacterial count of 5.08 and 7.18 log cfu/g, respectively. The mean aerobic mesophilic bacterial count from the producers was 5.6 log cfu/ml. The aerobic mesophilic bacterial count of butter obtained from village was significantly greater (p>0.05) than that of Hawassa city.