Abstract :
The main dairy products from sheep and goats in the Middle East are yogurt and cheese,
mostly produced by households and small scale local processors using traditional methods.
Yogurt is the most common product. The main cheese, produced from sheep milk or a
mixture of sheep and goat milk, is fresh cheese (Bayda) with a high fat content. There
are also low-fat cheeses such as Mushallaleh and Halloumi to meet the demand of urban,
more health-conscious consumers. Studies on composition and characteristics of both
sheep and goat milk and dairy products are available, but the most part of them are not
readily available to the international scientific community. Differences in milk composition
between species and breeds and variations during lactation, both affect the yield and
characteristics of dairy products. The processing methods and the mixture of goat and
sheep milk could be adjusted accordingly to maintain quality. The existing diversity in
cheese and local knowledge offers a valuable base for meeting the increasing demand for
animal products. However, quality and safety aspects related to small scale processing
have not been thoroughly studied and require more attention in order to sustain or
improve the market access of small processors.
