Mexican tropical cream cheese yield using low-fat milk induced by trans-10, cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid: effect of palmitic acid

Abstract

The trans-10, cis-12 isomer of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) reduces milk fat in dairy cows, causing a lower cheese yield. This could be mitigated by adding palmitic acid (PA) to the diet, as it stimulates fat synthesis in mammary gland. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of adding PA to the diet of grazing dairy cows complemented with trans-10, cis-12 CLA on the yield and fatty acid (FA) profile of Mexican tropical cream cheese. The lowest cheese yield was the result of the treatment with CLA alone. Supplementing PA to the cows with low fat concentration in their milk, from the effect of the trans-10, cis-12 isomer, mitigates the decrease in cheese yield. The process of cheese making does not modify the profile of FAs, so the supplemented cis-9, trans-11 CLA isomer transfers to the cheese, giving added value to the Mexican tropical cream cheese.

Keywords

• Depression of milk fat
• fat synthesis
• functional food
• traditional cheese