“Hygiene does not affect our cheese quality”: A qualitative assessment of traditional cheese processors in Ghana

Abstract

Consumer preference surveys in many developing regions have revealed low confidence for traditional dairy products because of perceived poor safety and unhygienic practices of the processors, especially those who are low literate. Many of these products are therefore restricted to informal settings, and traditional product certification is rare. The current research has a social orientation and examines the current state of knowledge, attitudes, and practices among female cheese processors in cattle rearing villages in Southern Ghana. Semi-structured, one-on-one interviews combined with on-site observations were conducted during a mini survey. The results showed that traditional cheese processors were conversant with process controls, non-processing and processing factors that could influence the quality of their products but did not consider safety and hygiene as a critical factor. Many of the processors had poor knowledge, incorrect attitudes, and were engaged in suboptimal practices that were likely to result in poor product safety and quality.