CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND FATTY ACIDS CONTENT OF BUFFALO CHEESE FROM NORTHWEST ARGENTINA: EFFECT ON LIPID COMPOSITION OF MICE TISSUES

CARINA VAN NIEUWENHOVE; PAOLA GAUFFIN CANO; ADRIANA PÉREZ CHAIA; SILVIA GONZÁLEZ

Journal of Food Lipids

Blackwel Publishing

Año: 2006

Chemical properties, long chain fatty acid composition and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) content of buffalo cheese was determined. Good nutritional properties were observed in cheese, showing 11.5 % of protein, 18.3 % of fat, and 30.5 % of dry matter. Saturated fatty acid content was 65.6 %, monounsaturated fatty acid was 31.8 % and polyunsaturated was 2.6 %. Stearic (C16:0) and oleic (C18:1) acids were the major fatty acids present in milk and cheese. Values slightly higher of CLA were determined in cheese (4.5 and 5.2 mg/g of fat, respectively), being cis-9,trans-11 the predominant isomer. Mice provided with cheese showed higher CLA levels in fat tissues than others. The cis-9,trans-11 isomer was incorporated into lipid tissues in great proportion than trans-10,cis-12. Total fatty acid content was higher in mice fed cheese, but polyunsaturated fatty acid (linoleic + linolenic + CLA) in tissues was similar (0.6 mg/g of tissue) in all groups. Keywords: Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), buffalo milk, buffalo cheese, fatty acid composition, polyunsaturated fatty acid