Effect of somatic cell count of cow’s milk on the lipolysis and fatty acid profile of farmer cheese

Abstract

The objective of the present work was to investigate the effect of somatic cell count (SCC) of raw cow’s milk on the lipolysis and oxidative processes in farmer cheese. The farmer cheese samples were produced from three different batches of raw cow’s milk of low (about 100,000 cells/mL, batch L), medium (between 500,000 and 600,000 cells/mL, batch M), and high (above 1,500,000 cells/mL, batch H) SCC. The farmer cheese samples were aged and cold-stored at 4 ± 1°C for three and ten months, respectively. Lipolysis in the farmer cheese samples was evaluated by monitoring the changes in cheese fatty acid values and peroxide values, as well as the changes in the fatty acid profile. Results indicated intensive lipolysis during aging and cold storage of batch H; increased concentrations of short-chain fatty acids as well as a higher percentage of saturated fatty acids were observed. It can thus be concluded that the accelerated lipolysis in farmer cheese samples made from raw cow’s milk with high SCC could cause some quality defects, and reduce cheeses’ shelf life.