Article contents
Effect of somatic cell counts on ewes' milk protein profile and cheese-making properties in different sheep breeds reared in Spain
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 March 2009
Abstract
Bulk tank ewe's milks from Assaf, Castellana and Churra breeds categorized within three different Somatic Cell Count (SCC) groups (LSCC: <500 000; MSCC: 1 000 000 to 1 500 000; and HSCC: 2 500 000 to 3 000 000 cells ml−1) were used to investigate changes in capillary electrophoresis protein profiles and cheese-making properties. The results do not reveal a significant effect of SCC on total casein contents, because the sum of β-caseins decreased as SCC increased; no statistically significant differences were observed for the sum of α-caseins, and the values of κ-casein were higher in the HSCC milk. However, the soluble proteins other than α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin increased with SCC. Regarding the effect of breed, the Assaf breed had the lowest contents of κ-CN, αs1-I-CN, αs1-II-CN 1-CN, αs1-III-CN, β1-CN and β2-CN. The protein profile was significantly correlated with curd textural properties. αs1-I-CN was the most influential variant because it was positively correlated with a large number of textural parameters. Cheese yield was positively correlated with all casein variants except αs1-III-CN, showing that the milk from local breeds were more suitable for cheese-making due to their higher contents of all the casein variants. Regarding curd texture properties LSCC milk curds showed more cohesiveness, associated with its lower content of αs1-III-CN and Castellana milk curds showed the highest values for firmness owing to their higher content of αs1-I-CN.
- Type
- Research Article
- Information
- Copyright
- Copyright © Proprietors of Journal of Dairy Research 2009
References
- 13
- Cited by