Chemical composition, fatty acid profile and food safety criteria to characterise an artisanal Italian mountain cheese from goats grazin on pastures

The objective of the present study was to determine chemical composition, fatty acids profile and hygienic quality of Fatulì, a traditional Italian mountain goat cheese produced from raw milk of Bionda dell'Adamello goats raised semiextensively in Val Camonica (Northern Italy). The survey was carried out on nine cheeses produced in mountain farms (1700-2000 m) with milk from pasture-fed goats and nine cheeses produced in valley farms (500-900 m) with milk from concentrate-fed goats. Seasonal variations in feeding conditions were responsible of the observed differences especially in fatty acids composition of the samples. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) were higher in cheeses from alpine areas as well as n-6/n-3 ratio. Saturated fatty acids (SFA) were higher in cheeses produced in valley farms. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), thrombogenicity index (IT) and atherogenicity index (IA) were found lower in Fatulì samples produced in alpine farms with an interesting nutritional effects due to the CLA and n-3 fatty acids role on human health.