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 cheese-making 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. © INRA, EDP Sciences, 2005.