Abstract:
Fermented milk products play a vital role in the diets of Ethiopians. They are produced
from either spontaneous fermentation or back- slopping methods at the household
level, in which lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeasts predominate. As a result, the pro-
cessing steps are not standardized and overall safety is still of public health relevance.
Therefore, quality and safety improvement, standardization of traditional manufac-
turing practices, and commercialization of products to a wider market are important.
Hence, this systematic review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the
microbiology of traditional Ethiopian fermented milk products, including ergo (spon-
taneously fermented whole milk), dhanaan (fermented camel milk), ititu (concentrated
sour milk or spontaneously fermented milk curd), ayib (traditional cottage cheese),
qibe (traditional butter), arrera (defatted buttermilk), and hazo (spiced fermented but-
termilk). We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and
searched relevant databases and search engines, including the Web of Science, Google
Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and ResearchGate. Furthermore, the perti-
nent literature was checked individually and identified. Dairy fermentation provides
shelf-life extension and improves the organoleptic quality of products. Nonetheless,
the aforementioned Ethiopian fermented foods may be contaminated with Escherichia
coli 0157: H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., or Staphylococcus aureus due to
inadequate processing and handling practices. This systematic review also revealed
that these traditional milk products lack consistent quality and safety due to poor
hygienic preparation techniques, non- controlled fermentation, and limited knowledge
or awareness of small-holder dairy farmers. Therefore, the use of suitable procedures
including good hygienic practices and controlled fermentation is recommended.
