MOISTURE CONTENT OF LOCAL COTTAGE CHEESE AAND BUTTER IN WESTERN BHUTAN

Abstract

A study was conducted with the objectives to determine the moisture content of cottage cheese (popularly known as datshi in Bhutan) and butter available in the market and establish baseline data to facilitate systematic grading and standardization of quality of dairy products in the country. The study was carried out in the districts of Thimphu, Paro and Haa in western region of Bhutan. Samples were randomly collected from Milk Processing Units (MPUs), dairy sales counters, retail shops, roadside vendors, and weekend vegetable markets. Samples were collected from the month of April to June, 2017. The butter samples were collected from only two districts of Thimphu and Paro. All samples were subjected to laboratory analyses. The moisture content ranged between 60.24% and 71.24% with overall average moisture content of 66.69%. The moisture content in the butter samples ranged from 13.78% to 38.79% with the average moisture content of 21.64%. The study results suggest that the moisture content of cheese is within the acceptable range but the moisture content of butter is higher than the acceptable range.