Functional Odd- and Branched-Chain Fatty Acid in Sheep and Goat Milk and Cheeses

Anna Nudda,Fabio Correddu,Gianni Battacone,Alberto Cesarani,Giuseppe Pulina

doi:10.3390/dairy2010008

Abstract

The inverse association between the groups of odd-chain (OCFA) and branched-chain (BCFA) and the development of diseases in humans have generated interest in the scientific community. In experiment 1, the extent of the passage of odd- and branched-chain fatty acids (OBCFA) from milk fat to fresh cheese fat was studied in sheep and goats. Milk collected in two milk processing plants in west Sardinia (Italy) was sampled every 2 weeks during spring (March, April and May). In addition, a survey was carried out to evaluate the seasonal variation of the OBCFA concentrations in sheep and goats’ cheeses during all lactation period from January to June. Furthermore, to assess the main differences among the sheep and goat cheese, principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to cheese fatty acids (FA) profile. Concentrations of OBCFA in fresh cheese fat of both species were strongly related to the FA content in the unprocessed raw milk. The average contents of OBCFA were 4.12 and 4.13 mg/100 mg of FA in sheep milk and cheese, respectively, and 3.12 and 3.17 mg/100 mg of FA in goat milk and cheese, respectively. The OBCFA concentration did no differed between milk and cheese in any species. The content of OBCFA was significantly higher in sheep than goats’ dairy products. The OBCFA composition of the cheese was markedly affected by the period of sampling in both species: odd and branched FA concentrations increased from March to June. The seasonal changes of OBCFA in dairy products were likely connected to variations in the quality of the diet. The PCA confirmed the higher nutritional quality of sheep cheese for beneficial FA, including OBCFA compared to the goat one, and the importance of the period of sampling in the definition of the fatty acids profile.

Highlights

The fatty acid (FA) composition of dairy products has assumed considerable interest in consumers from a nutritional and healthy point of view
10 odd- and branched-chain fatty acids (OBCFA) were identified in both types of milk (Table 1), including 3 odd-chain fatty acids (OCFA) (C13:0, C15:0 and C17:0), 4 isoBCFA and 3 anteisoBCFA
C15:0 and C17:0 were the most abundant fatty acids, in agreement with other research on sheep [33], goats and cows [34,35]; these OCFA accounted for 29% and

Summary

Introduction

The fatty acid (FA) composition of dairy products has assumed considerable interest in consumers from a nutritional and healthy point of view. Specific FA of dairy products can affect human health and can have an important role in the prevention of metabolic diseases This increasing attention is demonstrated by recent studies that investigated the feasibility of improving milk FA profile in sheep and goats though breeding schemes [1,2,3]. The group of BCFA comprises mainly saturated fatty acids characterized by the presence of one or more methyl groups in the iso or anteiso position. Such molecules represent the main FAs in some microorganisms (e.g., Bacilli and Lactobacilli), and they can be observed in mammal tissues. In laboratory animals these FA evidenced antiinflammatory properties [4], reduced the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis and altered the ecology of the gastrointestinal microorganisms in a neonatal rat model [5]

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