Respective effects of milk composition and the cheese-making process on cheese compositional variability in components of nutritional interest

Abstract

-To assess the relationship between conditions of milk production and cheese contents of components of nutritional interest, it is necessary to know to what extent the compositional variability of cheese depends on that of milk. The respective effects of milk composition and the cheese-making process on cheese compositional variability in components of nutritional interest were therefore studied under real conditions of cheese production considering four different cheese-making technologies. The nutritional characteristics of the original milk were subject to high variations partly due to animal species (cow vs. goat). Apart from the aspects related to the dry matter content of cheese, the cheese compositional variability in fatty acids, β-carotene, xanthophylls and vitamin E depended mainly on the composition of the original milk. For vitamin A, it was partially influenced by both the original milk composition and the cheese-making process. Regarding folates and minerals, as well as total antioxidant capacity, the cheese composition varied mainly with the cheese-making process. In addition, the cheese-making technology had a significant effect on the cheese composition in minerals and folates, but did not influence the other components affected by the cheesemaking process. Consequently, the cheese contents of fat-soluble compounds depend directly on the conditions of milk production. On the contrary, the composition of cheese in water-soluble compounds varies independently of the conditions of milk production. The total antioxidant capacity of pressed cheeses, unlike the original milk, was positively correlated with some fat-soluble antioxidants. It could therefore be influenced by the conditions of milk production. Résumé -Effets respectifs de la composition du lait et de la transformation fromagère sur la variabilité de composition du fromage en composés d'intérêt nutritionnel. De façon à étudier la relation entre les conditions de production du lait et les teneurs en composés d'intérêt nutritionnel dans le fromage, il est nécessaire de savoir dans quelle mesure la variabilité de composition du fromage dépend de celle du lait d'origine. Les effets respectifs de la composition du lait et de la transformation fromagère sur la variabilité de composition du fromage en composés d'intérêt nutritionnel ont donc été étudiés en conditions réelles de production du fromage et en considérant quatre technologies fromagères différentes. Les caractéristiques nutritionnelles du lait à l'origine du fromage sont soumises à de grandes variations en partie dues à l'espèce animale (vache vs. chèvre). Mis à part les aspects liés à la teneur en matière sèche du fromage, la variabilité de composition du fromage en acides gras, en β-carotène, en xanthophylles et en vitamine E dépend principalement de la composition du lait d'origine, alors que pour la vitamine A celle-ci est influencée à la fois par la composition du lait d'origine et par la transformation fromagère. Par contre, la composition en folates et en minéraux du fr...

Relationships between the conditions of cow’s milk production and the contents of components of nutritional interest in raw milk farmhouse cheese

“…In a previous study [48], we showed that the cheese composition in FA, carotenoids and α-tocopherol, as well as to a lesser extent in retinol, mainly depends on the milk composition and consequently on the conditions of milk production. Similarly, the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in cheese could also be influenced by the conditions of milk production.…”

“…Three French farmhouse cow's raw milk cheese varieties were studied: Abondance cheese (pressed semi-cooked cheese) and Tomme de Savoie cheese (pressed uncooked cheese) in the Northern Alps area, and Cantal-type cheese (pressed uncooked cheese) in the Massif Central area. The main characteristics of these cheeses have been previously described [48]. In total, 54 farms were sampled by the producer trade unions of these cheeses so as to have a farm sample representing the existing broadness of the conditions of milk production.…”

“…Cheese samples were collected and freeze-dried as previously described by Lucas et al [48]. Dry matter and fat contents in the cheese were determined using the AFNOR method [1] and the Heiss butyrometric method [30], respectively.…”

“…The fatty acid (FA) profile was analyzed by gas chromatography after transesterification of FA to FA methyl esters [45]. Retinol (vitamin A), α-tocopherol (vitamin E), β-carotene and xanthophyll (lutein and zeaxanthin) contents were simultaneously measured by HPLC using an UV-visible photodiode-array detector after saponification and hexane extraction, adapted from Lyan et al [50] as previously described [48]. Folate (vitamin B9) content was determined by microbiological assay using Lactobacillus rhamnosus [15] following an extraction performed by trienzyme treatment [56].…”

“…Calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and zinc (Zn) contents were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, potassium (K) content by atomic emission spectrophotometry [46] and phosphorus (P) content by a colorimetric method [2]. The total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was assessed using the ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) assay adapted from Benzie and Strain [7] as previously described by Lucas et al [48].…”