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Title
Abstract
The first objective of the research was to determine the differences in the chemical composition and physical characteristics of ewe’s, cow’s, and ewe-cow’s mixed milks, as well as of cheeses made thereof. The second objective was to find out whether or not it was possible to decide, based on the physicalchemical analysis of cheese, to possibly add cow’s milk to ewe’s milk. The experimental materials were milks of the Polish mountain sheep, black-white lowland cows, and a mixture (1: 1 ratio) of those milk types. The milks studied were analyzed and the following was determined: density, titration acidity, pH, as well as content of: total solids, total protein, and total fats. The profile of fatty acids was also performed. The three types of milk as named above were then used to make three types of bundz cheeses: ewe’s, cow’s cheese, and mixed milk bundz cheeses. The bundz cheeses manufactured were analysed and content levels of the following parameters were determined: total solids, total fats, total proteins, pH, and titration acidity. Parameters of the texture and a profile of fatty acids were analysed, too. It was found that the basic indicators of mixing ewe’s milk with cow’s milk could be simultaneous analyses of pH and titration acidity and, especially, the analysis of fat composition involving the content of capric acid. Based on the analysis of basic chemical composition and texture of the final bundz cheese product, it is impossible to detect whether or not cow’s milk was added to ewe’s milk. For this purpose it might be helpful to make a profile of fatty acids contained in the fat of cheese, in particular to determine the content of capric acid.
Keywords
ewe’s milk, cow’s milk, mixed milk, bundz cheese, chemical composition, texture, fatty acids