Quality of the ewes’ milk as a raw material in the dairy industry in the Republic of North Macedonia

This study is based on analyzing physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics of ewe milk from three different regions, which is used as a raw material in dairy industry of North Macedonia. All milk samples (n=123) were collected on dairy reception points of dairy industry in Pelagonia region, in a period of six (6) months. The average values for chemical composition of milk were in the range as follows: 6.83±0.22% to 7.68±0.36% for milk fat, 5.52±0.09% to 6.06±0.23% for proteins, 4.62±0.08% to 4.79±0.05% for lactose, 11.16±0.11% to 1.51±0.24% for non-fat dry matter (NFDM), -0.561 to -0.543oC for freezing point and 8.61±0.4 oSH to 8.88±0.47oSH for titrable acidity. The microbiological and hygienic status of examined ewe milk samples was of poor hygienic quality. The average value of the examined samples for somatic cell count ranged from 753.333 cfu/mL to 1.125.000 cfu/mL and the average number of total bacteria count was from 532.444 cfu/mL to 1.986.222 cfu/mL. Ovaj se rad temelji na analizi fizikalno kemijskih i mikrobioloških značajki ovčjeg mlijeka iz triju različitih dijelova Sjeverne Makedonije koje se upotrebljava kao sirovina u mliječnoj industriji. Svi uzorci mlijeka (n= 123) sakupljani su na sabiralištima mljekarske industrije na području Pelagonije u razdoblju od šest (6) mjeseci. Prosječne vrijednosti kemijskog sastava mlijeka kretale su se u sljedećem rasponu: 6,83±0,22% do 7,68±0,36% za mliječnu kiselinu, 5,52±0,09% do 6,06±0,23% za bjelančevine, 4,62±0,08% do 4,79±0,05% za laktozu, 11,16±0,11 do 11,51±0,24% za nemasnu suhu tvar (NEDM), -0,561 do -0,543 °C za točku smrzavanja i 8,61±0,4 °SH za titrajuću kiselost. Mikrobiološko i higijensko stanje pregledanih uzoraka ovčjeg mlijeka bilo je slabe higijenske kakvoće. Prosječna vrijednost pregledanih uzoraka za broj somatskih stanica kretao se od 753,333 cfu/ml do 1.125,000 cfu/ml, a prosječni broj ukupnih bakterija bio je od 532,444 cfu/ml 1.986,222 cfu/ml .