Abstract

Traditional cheese locally called wagashi is a good proteins source with high water content (60%) which is favorable for microorganism’s growth that affects its quality. This work summarizes the endogenous methods used for wagashi preservation in Benin. Data have been collected during a survey toward 318 producers, 164 retailers and 464 consumers of Wagashi randomly selected from six agroecological zones. . Sun drying (62.26%), whey storage (21.07%) soaking in untreated water (8.49%) are the methods mostly used by producers to preserve wagashi. Daily cooking of wagashi at 80 to 100°C is the main method used by the sellers (86.58%) whereas traditional smoking was practiced by consumers (28.8%).Globally, these methods cannot preserve the product no more than 12 days of conservation, except for smoking method. In addition, cooking of spoiled wagashi with or without leaves of Vitellaria paradoxa, Pennisetum polystachion orPiliostigma thonningii by the producers, sellers or consumers for microbial decontamination and deodorization of the product could not avoid hazards inside the product. Probably, consumption of wagashi in Benin could be associated with microbial contamination.

Key words: Fulani, milk, whey, wagashi, pathogens, microbial decontamination.