Volume 164, 1 December 2014, Pages 234–241
Highlights
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- Fatty acid profile of 113 farm cows’ milk was analysed by GC-FID.
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- PLS-DA models were created to verify cows’ diet and the farming management system.
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- Inclusion of fresh grass in the cows’ diet can be accurately predicted.
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- Verification of pasture grazing is less accurate because cows may be fed grass indoors.
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- Organic farming could not be unequivocally verified based on fatty acid profile.
Abstract
The
present study investigated the use of fatty acid (FA) profiling in
combination with chemometric modelling to verify claims for cow milk in
terms of fresh grass feeding, pasture grazing and organic/biodynamic
farming. The FA profile was determined for 113 tank milk samples
collected in the Netherlands from 30 farms over four different months,
and used to develop classification models based on the PLS-DA algorithm.
Milk from cows with daily rations of fresh grass could be successfully
distinguished from milk from cows with no fresh grass in their diet.
Milk from cows at pasture could easily be distinguished from milk from
stabled cows without fresh grass in the diet, but the correct prediction
of milk from stabled cows fed fresh grass indoors proved difficult. The
FA profile of organic/biodynamic milk was different compared to
conventional milk but an unequivocal discrimination was not possible
either in summer or in winter.
Keywords
- Milk;
- Authentication;
- Fatty acids;
- Grass feeding;
- Pasture;
- Organic;
- Biodynamic;
- Chemometrics;
- PLS-DA
- Corresponding author. Tel.:
+31 317 480356; fax: +31 317 417717.
