Handling Practices and Microbiological Safety Associated with Pastoral Traditional Fermented Milk (Suusa) Product for Rural and Urban Market in Kenya

Suusa is a fermented camel milk product produced and consumed in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) of Northern and Eastern Kenya. It is produced as a small-scale commercial commodity in these areas but has found its way to urban markets. Currently, there are suusa consumer safety concerns about the product, making it difficult to penetrate deep in the urban markets, yet it has economic potential. This study seeks to analyse the microbial safety of suusa produced and marketed from pastoral environments. Purposive sampling will be used to select women, women groups and value chain actors who are involved in the production and trade of suusa. The participants will be interviewed using a semi structured questionnaire on indigenous suusa processing and the constraints they encounter. Samples will be collected and analysed for microbial quality along the value chain. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) will be performed to determine whether there are any differences in the microbial counts along the value chain. This study will offer assurance on risks and hazards and nutritional quality to enhance wider acceptability of the indigenous processed camel milk product suusa. The output of this project will be used to inform producers on ways of producing safe and high quality suusa. In the long run this should facilitate more market access for the product.