## 4 Discussion
### Main Composition  
Jameed from the Tafila region, characterized by highlands with cold weather that affects the drying process of Jameed, had 15% less TS than other regions. However, all samples, except those from Tafila, complied with the Jordanian standards and regulations for Jameed processing, requiring that the moisture content in the final product should not exceed 20%. Moreover, our results agree with those of other studies that reported a range in TS of Jameed of 85-95% [17; 18; 19; 20]. This is a very important criterion because humidity exceeding 20% will reduce quality and shelf life and increase the risk of mold growth in Jameed.  
Although reported average protein content values in this study agree with earlier findings [20; 21; 22; 23], our hypothesis to explain the large differences in protein and, consequently, TS contents lies within the adoption of different thermal treatment intensities and processing methods in the regions. Thermal treatment of milk can capture some whey proteins due to a certain denaturation and results in reduced protein losses during processing. In the traditional processing method, buttermilk (which is diluted with at least 30% water for churning) is concentrated by heating to a maximum of 55 \({}^{\circ}\)C and followed by the concentration process in a cotton bag in which the whey is separated out [22]. During the first few hours of whey syneresis, fine casein particles can be carried out with the whey, making the whey white to slightly white, and some producers apply pressure to speed up this process [24].  
Jameed samples from Elkarak had the lowest fat content, which could be due to higher efficiency in fat separation. In general, fat separation is based on the churning of diluted fermented milk. The churning is carried out by centrifugation of the diluted fermented milk, which in many cases has not sufficiently coagulated due to low acidification, particularly in cold weather [25]. Consumers in the Elkarak region prefer acidic, strong-flavored yogurt and Jameed. Therefore, churning efficiency is higher in this region due to the process of elevated yogurt acidity that neutralizes the fat globule electrical charge and enhances the separation [26; 27; 28]. Fat values reported in Jordan were 8-13% [19; 20; 21] compared to fat values for Syrian Jameed of approximately 5.5% [3]. In fact, fat can affect the quality of Jameed negatively because of fat rancidity during long storage in room temperature conditions [29]. Therefore, low-fat content is considered a quality indicator for a good product.  
Globally, the acidity of Jameed was in agreement with values reported by other researchers [9; 20; 22]. The low acidity in Jameed samples from Elkarak could be due to the elevated acidity produced during the fermentation before the churning process, which is washed out through the syneresis process later [28]. Low acidification during the fermentation process will leave lactose in the product that will later ferment slowly into lactic acid during the concentration process and will be accumulated and further concentrated in the drying process, which could be the case of the Jameed with high acidity [26; 28].