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Sardinia, located in Italy, is a significant producer of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) sheep cheeses. In response to the growing demand for high-quality, safe, and traceable food products, the elemental fingerprints of Pecorino Romano PDO and Pecorino Sardo PDO were determined on 200 samples of cheese using validated, inductively coupled plasma methods. The aim of this study was to collect data for food authentication studies, evaluate nutritional and safety aspects, and verify the influence of cheesemaking technology and seasonality on elemental fingerprints. According to European regulations, one 100 g serving of both cheeses provides over 30% of the recommended dietary allowance for calcium, sodium, zinc, selenium, and phosphorus, and over 15% of the recommended dietary intake for copper and magnesium. Toxic elements, such as Cd, As, Hg, and Pb, were frequently not quantified or measured at concentrations of toxicological interest. Linear discriminant analysis was used to discriminate between the two types of pecorino cheese with an accuracy of over 95%. The cheese-making process affects the elemental fingerprint, which can be used for authentication purposes. Seasonal variations in several elements have been observed and discussed.

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Seasonal variation in fatty acids and minerals concentrations was investigated through the analysis of Pecorino Romano cheese samples collected in January, April, and June. A fraction of samples contained missing values in their fatty acid profiles. Probabilistic principal component analysis, coupled with Linear Discriminant Analysis, was employed to classify cheese samples on a production season basis while accounting for missing data and quantifying the missing fatty acid concentrations for the samples in which they were absent. The levels of rumenic acid, vaccenic acid, and omega-3 compounds were positively correlated with the spring season, while the length of the saturated fatty acids increased throughout the production seasons. Concerning the classification performances, the optimal number of principal components (i.e., 5) achieved an accuracy in cross-validation equal to 98%. Then, when the model was tasked with imputing the lacking fatty acid concentration values, the optimal number of principal components resulted in an R2 value in cross-validation of 99.53%.

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Free fluoride ions are effective in combating caries in children, and their supplementation in milk has been widely used worldwide for this purpose. Furthermore, it is known that ionic fluoride added to milk is distributed among its components, but little is known about their quantitative relationships. This is likely due to the absence of an analytical protocol aimed at differentiating and quantifying the most important forms of fluorine present in milk. For the first time, a comprehensive protocol made up of six potentiometric methods devoted to quantifying the most important fractions of fluorine in milk (i.e., the free inorganic fluoride, the inorganic bonded fluorine, the caseins-bonded fluorine, the whey-bonded fluorine, the lipid-bonded fluorine, and the total fluorine) has been developed and tested on real samples. Four of the six methods of the procedure are original, and all have been validated in terms of limit of detection and quantification, precision, and trueness. The data obtained show that 9% of all fluorine was in ionic form, while 66.3% of total fluorine was bound to proteins and lipids, therefore unavailable for human absorption. Beyond applications in dental research, this protocol could be extended also to other foods, or used in environmental monitoring.

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Traditional agri-food products (TAPs) are closely linked to the peculiarities of the territory of origin and are strategic tools for preserving culture and traditions; nutritional and organoleptic peculiarities also differentiate these products on the market. One such product is Caciocavallo Podolico Lucano (CPL), a stretched curd cheese made exclusively from raw milk from Podolian cows, reared under extensive conditions. The objective of this study was to characterise CPL and evaluate the effects of ripening (6 vs. 12 months) on the quality and organoleptic properties, using the technological "artificial senses" platform, of CPL produced and sold in the region of Basilicata, Italy. Additionally, this study represents the first analysis of cheese-related digital communication and trends online. The study found no significant differences between 6-month- and 12-month-ripened cheese, except for a slight increase in cholesterol levels in the latter. CPL aged for 6 and 12 months is naturally lactose-free, rich in bioactive components, and high in vitamin A and antioxidants and has a low PUFA-n6/n3 ratio. The "artificial sensory profile" was able to discriminate the organoleptic fingerprints of 6-month- and 12-month-ripened cheese. The application of a socio-semiotic methodology enabled us to identify the best drivers to create effective communication for this product. The researchers recommend focusing on creating a certification mark linked to the territory for future protection.

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Sulla is a tanniferous legume species largely used as fresh or preserved forage in the ruminants' diets. Due to its content in polyphenols with antioxidant activity, especially condensed tannins (CT), fresh sulla forage (FSF), when eaten by ruminants, is able to enrich animal products with antioxidant molecules and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) that are beneficial for consumers' health. Dehydration represents a valid alternative to haymaking to preserve these properties also in periods when FSF is unavailable. In this research, the effects of ewes' diets based on sulla hay (SH), pelleted dehydrated sulla forage (DSF) or FSF were evaluated on cheese physico-chemical traits, including fatty acid (FA) profile, vitamins A and E, polyphenols, antioxidant capacity and oxidative stability. The individual daily milk from 10 first lambing (FL) and 10 third lambing (TL) Valle del Belìce ewes at about 60 days in milk, divided homogeneously into 5 groups fed different diets in a partial 5 × 2 Latin square design with 2 phases, and the bulk milk of farming ewes fed only on natural pasture, were used in 2 sessions of micro cheese-making to manufacture cheeses, sampled at 48 h of ripening. The experimental diets were: SHL = SH ad libitum; DSF2 = 2 kg/day DSF per head plus SH ad libitum; FSF2 = 2 kg/day FSF per head plus SH ad libitum; FSF4 = 4 kg/day FSF per head plus SH ad libitum; FSFL = FSF ad libitum. Concentrate was supplied at the amount of 0.8 or 1.2 kg/day per head for FL and TL, respectively. Cheese health properties greatly improved with FSFL diet, based on the exclusive use of fresh forage, that induced the increase in the content of molecules with antioxidant activity, as vitamin A, vitamin E and polyphenols, enhancing the oxidative stability, and the level of PUFA as rumenic acid (C18:2 c9t11) and α-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3n-3). Cheeses from the DSF2 group showed levels of vitamin A, vitamin E and PUFA higher than SHL cheeses and comparable to those of FSF4 cheeses, whereas their ALA content was not different from that of FSFL cheeses. Evaluating those molecules affected by the level of fresh forage in the diet for their ability to trace the animals' feeding regime, ALA and its ratio with linoleic acid (LA, C18:2n-6) (LA/ALA) exhibited an effective role as biomarker in discriminating cheese from animals fed fresh forage-based diets. The results showed how dehydrated sulla pellets, as an alternative to hay in periods of limited availability of fresh forage, can preserve the nutritional and health properties of dairy products with regards to their antioxidant capacity and FA profile.

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Five natural historic cheeses of Southern Italy were investigated-Caciocavallo Palermitano (CP), Casizolu del Montiferru (CdM), Vastedda della Valle del Belìce (VVB), Pecorino Siciliano (PS), and Caprino Nicastrese (CN)-which are produced with raw milk and with traditional techniques and tools, from autochthonous breeds reared under an extensive system. The effects of the month of production on gross composition, MUFA, PUFA, PUFA-ω6, PUFA-ω3, α-tocopherol, retinol, cholesterol, TPC, TEAC, and GHIC were evaluated. In CP, CLA, TPC, and GHIC were higher in April than in February. CdM showed higher values in terms of fat, saturated fatty acids, PUFA-ω3, α-tocopherol, TEAC, and GHIC in May than in February and September, while low values in terms of protein, moisture, and CLA were found. In VVB, MUFA, PUFA-ω6, and α-tocopherol increased in June compared with April; conversely, protein, FRAP, and TEAC were higher in April. In PS, protein, CLA, PUFA, PUFA-ω3, α-tocopherol, and GHIC increased in May compared with January; on the contrary, moisture, NaCl, and TEAC showed high values in January. CN showed higher values in terms of PUFA, PUFA-ω6, PUFA-ω3, TPC, TEAC, and GHIC in April and June compared with January. It is shown that each cheese is unique and closely linked to the production area. Cheeses produced in the spring months showed a high nutritional quality due to the greatest presence of healthy compounds originating from an extensive feeding system.

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In this work we report a lipidomics approach to study the effects of two diet systems on the composition of ovine milk. Milk from two groups of Sarda sheep grazing on 40% (P40) and 60% (P60) of pasture were analyzed by a UHPLC-QTOF-MS analytical platform and data submitted to multivariate statistical analysis. Pairwise partial least square discriminant analysis of the lipid profile of the data was carried out to classify samples and to find discriminant lipids. The two dietary groups were characterized by differences in triacylglycerols, phosphocholines and phosphatidylethanolamines levels. Discriminants of the P40 group were TG and PC containing in their backbone saturated medium chain FA thus suggesting greater de novo fatty synthesis in the mammary gland. On the other hand, the P60 group was characterized by TG and PC formed by unsaturated long chain FA originating from the diet or from lipid mobilization.

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Milk obtained from sheep grazing natural pastures and some forage crops may be worth a plus value as compared to milk obtained from stall-fed sheep, due to their apparently higher content of beneficial fatty acids (FAs). Fourier transformed mid-infrared (FT-MIR) analysis of FA can help distinguish milk from different areas and diverse feeding systems. The objective was to discriminate milk from sheep and milk from dairy sheep rotationally grazing Italian ryegrass or berseem clover for 2, 4, or 6 h/day. To test this hypothesis, a data-mining study was undertaken using a database of 1,230 individual milk spectra. Data were elaborated by principal component analysis (PCA) and analyzed by linear discriminant analysis (LDA) with or without the use of genetic algorithm (GA) as a variable selection tool with the primary aim to discriminate grazed forages (grass vs. legume), access time (2, 4, or 6 h/day), grazing day (first vs. last grazing day during the 7-day grazing period), and the milking time (morning vs. afternoon milking). The best-fitting discriminant models of FT-MIR spectra were able to correctly predict 100% of the samples differing for the pasture forage, 91.9% of the samples differing for grazing day, and 97.1% of the samples regarding their milking time. The access time (AT) to pasture was correctly predicted by the model in 60.3% of the samples, and the classification ability was improved to 77.0% when considering only the 2 and 6 h/day classes.

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Milk from grazing ruminants is usually rich in beneficial components for human health, but distinguishing milks sourced from grazing is difficult, and this hinders the valuing of the grazing benefit. This study aimed at evaluating the ability of milk biomarkers (1) to trace milks sourced from sheep submitted to different access times (ATs) to pasture and (2) to estimate sheep herbage dry matter intake (HDMI, g DM ewe-1 d-1) and herbage percentage (HP, % DM) in sheep diet. Animal data derive from a published experiment in which six replicated groups of mid-lactation Sarda sheep had ATs of 2, 4, or 6 h d-1 to a ryegrass pasture. Sheep HDMI and HP of each group were measured on four dates in April 2013. Group milk was sampled, and milk fatty acids (FAs) and n-alkanes were determined by gas chromatography. The latter markers were also measured in feces samples bulked by group. The data (N = 24 records) were submitted to Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) aimed at distinguishing the AT to pasture based on biomarkers previously selected by Genetic Algorithms (GA). Partial Least Square Regression (PLSR) models were used to estimate HDMI and HP using biomarkers selected by GA. Based on one milk alkane and six milk FAs as biomarkers, estimates of the AT using GA-LDA were 95.8% accurate. The estimation of HDMI by GA-PLSR based on five milk FAs was moderately precise [explained variance = 75.2%; percentage of the residual mean square error of cross-validation over the mean value (RMSECV%) = 15.0%]. The estimation of HP by GA-PLSR based on 1 milk alkane and 10 FAs was precise (explained variance = 80.8%; RMSECV% = 7.4%). To conclude, these preliminary results suggest that milks sourced from sheep flocks with AT to pasture differentiated by 2 h in the range 2-6 h d-1 can be precisely discriminated using milk biomarkers. The contribution of herbage to sheep diet can also be precisely estimated.

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The valorization of natural resources in small ruminants feeding can reduce the cost of feed and produce good meat quality. The objective was to evaluate the effects of local feed resources on the physico-chemical aspects, the sensorial characteristics and the fatty acid profile of goat kid's meat. Twenty-six kids are divided in three groups (average body weight = 15.85 kg; age = 4 months). The groups received oat hay (group control C), dried olive leaves + dried Stipa tenacissima (group OL) or grass hay (group Ko). The animals were slaughtered after 90 days of experience, with an approximate final live weight of 18.5 kg. Total solids, pH, fat, crude protein, vitamin, cholesterol and fatty acid contents of meat were determined. The OL group had the highest ultimate pH (6.82 vs. 6.73); cooking loss, gross composition (total solids, protein and fat), cholesterol and colour coordinates (L, a* and b*) were similar among groups. The vitamin E, affected by diet, was higher in group OL than the other groups (3.71 mg/kg vs. 1.32 and 2.17 mg/kg, respectively, for C and Ko groups). Moreover, meat from this group showed the highest saturated fatty acid. Unsaturated fatty acids content was higher in the meat of C and Ko groups. On the other side, polyunsaturated fatty acid level was not affected by the diet treatment. The n6/n3 ratio was significantly affected by the diet; it was lower in meat of groups Ko and OL (3.17 and 3.38 respectively). The feeding effect on sensory quality of meat was not significant.

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n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (n-3 HUFA) directly and indirectly regulate lipid metabolism, energy balance and the inflammatory response. We investigated changes to the n-3 HUFA score of healthy adults, induced by different types and amounts of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)-enriched (ENCH) cheeses consumed for different periods of time, compared to dietary fish oil (FO) pills (500 mg, each containing 100 mg of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids­EPA+DHA) or α-linolenic acid (ALA)-rich linseed oil (4 g, containing 2 g of ALA). A significant increase in the n-3 HUFA score was observed, in a dose-dependent manner, after administration of the FO supplement. In terms of the impact on the n-3 HUFA score, the intake of ENCH cheese (90 g/day) for two or four weeks was equivalent to the administration of one or two FO pills, respectively. Conversely, the linseed oil intake did not significantly impact the n-3 HUFA score. Feeding ENCH cheeses from different sources (bovine, ovine and caprine) for two months improved the n-3 HUFA score by increasing plasma DHA, and the effect was proportional to the CLA content in the cheese. We suggest that the improved n-3 HUFA score resulting from ENCH cheese intake may be attributed to increased peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR-α) activity. This study demonstrates that natural ENCH cheese is an alternative nutritional source of n-3 HUFA in humans.

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The aim of this work was to measure the physico-chemical and the colorimetric parameters of ovaries from Mugil cephalus caught in the Tortolì lagoon (South-East coast of Sardinia) along the steps of the manufacturing process of Bottarga, together with the rheological parameters of the final product. A lowering of all CIELab coordinates (lightness, redness and yellowness) was observed during the manufacture process. All CIELab parameters were used to build a Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) predictive model able to determine in real time if the roes had been subdued to a freezing process, with a success in prediction of 100%. This model could be used to identify the origin of the roes, since only the imported ones are frozen. The major changes of all the studied parameters (p < 0.05) were noted in the drying step rather than in the salting step. After processing, Bottarga was characterized by a pH value of 5.46 (CV = 2.8) and a moisture content of 25% (CV = 8), whereas the typical per cent amounts of proteins, fat and NaCl, calculated as a percentage on the dried weight, were 56 (CV = 2), 34 (CV = 3) and 3.6 (CV = 17), respectively. The physical chemical changes of the roes during the manufacturing process were consistent for moisture, which decreased by 28%, whereas the protein and the fat contents on the dried weight got respectively lower of 3% and 2%. NaCl content increased by 3.1%. Principal Component Analyses (PCA) were also performed on all data to establish trends and relationships among all parameters. Hardness and consistency of Bottarga were negatively correlated with the moisture content (r = -0.87 and r = -0.88, respectively), while its adhesiveness was negatively correlated with the fat content (r = -0.68).

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