Comparative Analysis of Fatty Acid Profile and Fat-Soluble Vitamin Content in Sheep and Goat Milk of Organic and Conventional Origin

Olga Gortzi,Kostas Katsoulis,Konstantia Graikou,Stavros Lalas,Aggeliki Alibade,Eleni Malissiova,Dimitrios Liappis

doi:10.3390/app12062809

Olga Gortzi, Kostas Katsoulis + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/app12062809

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Abstract

Consumers tend to perceive organic foods as more nutritious and safer in comparison to conventional, due to the perception that organic food is eco- and animal-friendly. Since fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins in dairy produce are important nutrients, this study aims to assess possible differences in the amount of these components included in organic and conventional ewes and goat raw milk in Greece, while identifying the potential determining factors. A total of 48 samples were collected from organic and conventional sheep and goat farms in Greece (Thessaly) during the lactation period. A standardized questionnaire, including information about the farming system, and a sampling protocol were completed. Samples were studied for the fat-soluble vitamins (all-trans-retinol and α-tocopherol) and the fatty acids profile, while the outcomes were statistically analyzed to explore any associations with the questionnaire data for potential factors affecting the results. According to the obtained results there are slight differences in milk fatty acid content, which indicates that organic and conventional sheep and goat milk in Greece do not have any substantial differences in terms of feeding strategies. Regarding the content of fat-soluble vitamins, the organic milk is generally found to contain a higher amount than the conventional one.

Highlights

Over the past few years, the demand by the consumers for organically produced food has been increasing
Samples were collected from eight goat and eight sheep farms located in Thessaly
The results obtained in this study indicate that organic sheep and goat milk was found to contain a higher amount of the fat-soluble vitamins in comparison to conventional

Summary

Introduction

Over the past few years, the demand by the consumers for organically produced food has been increasing. This growth can be attributed to two major factors: health aspects for the consumers and environmental concerns [1,2]. After relevant research, the scientific community has become interested in milk fat, as it has been proven to contain ingredients such as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), unsaturated fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), especially those of the n-3 group, which have beneficial effects on human health, on the cardiovascular system and in prevention of cancer [5]. Linoleic acid (LA) and α-linolenic acid (ALA) are essential fatty acids, as they cannot be synthesized by the human body [6], and they are the major n-6 and n-3 fatty acids in milk. Numerous biological effects have been reported for CLAs, and several studies indicate that ALA has cardioprotective effects [7]

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