CLA CONTENT IN SHEEP MILK AND SHEEP DAIRY PRODUCTS

Abstract

The uniqueness of ruminant milk lipids is based on their high concentration of CLA. The purpose of our research was to find the CLA content in sheep milk and milk products manufactured from sheep milk. Proceeding from ancient Bulgarian traditions of developing mountain sheep breeding, milk from two groups of sheep for combined use during the pasture period (May–July) and three types of traditional milk products were studied. The CLA content in individual samples of sheep milk varied from 17.8 to 56.5 mg/g fat. We found that the milk of the Tsigay crosses contained a higher CLA content than the milk of the Karakachan crosses. A higher content of biologically important cis 9, trans 11 CLA isomer was found in the milk fat of the Tsigay crosses than in the Karakachan crosses (25.1 vs. 22.3 mg/g fat, respectively). The highest CLA concentrations in the milk products were found in white brined cheese (35.6 mg/g), followed by yoghurt (29.5 mg/g), and the lowest in yellow cheese (21.8 mg/g). In conclusion, the effect of individual and breeds’ differences as well as that of the season on the CLA content in the sheep milk fat was found out.