Microbial Analysis and Proximate Composition of Boiled and Fried Local Cheese (WARA)

Fried cheese locally called Wara gets spoiled when 

attacked by pathogenic bacteria, as a result of poor hygiene 

practice by the producer and handlers. Wara samples were 

bought in Ilesha at Atakumosa market square Osun-state. This 

research was designed to isolate and enumerate microorganisms 

using standard microbial methods, proximate composition and 

the nutritional composition of boiled local and fried cheese 

(wara). Proximate analysis was carried out to determine 

nutritional composition. Klebsiella species and Esherichia coli

Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus species, Escherichia coli, 

Salmonella species, Streptococcus species, Clostridium species 

and Lactobacillus species were isolated using standard technique. 

The highest bacteria count for the fried cheese was 

2.1×105

cfu/ml the lowest bacterial count is 1.5×105

cfu/ml unit 

highest bacterial count of the boiled local cheese was 

4.4×105

(cfu/ml), lowest bacterial count was 1.8×105

(cfu/ml) 

while the range of the values was 2.6×105

. Fungi isolated were 

Penicillium and Gymnoase. Fat content for the boiled cheese has 

the highest mean value of 44.78 ±0.028cfu/ml and Ash has 

lowest mean value of 2.46±0.014cfu/ml. The moisture content of 

fried cheese had the highest mean value 55.32±0.014 while the 

carbohydrate had the lowest mean value 0.63±0.02 for fried 

chesse. Fibre content was not detected in both samples. The 

microbial contamination might generally occur based on lack of 

standardization, fecal contamination and poor personal hygiene 

in the production, handling and storage. Therefore, all cheese 

producers and consumers should take care during processing and 

storage of the cheese to prevent contamination.