Cyclopropyl and omega-cyclohexyl fatty acids as quality markers of cow milk and cheese

Content of cyclopropyl and x-cyclohexyl fatty acids of microbial origin, respectively, from silage and rumen, was determined by GC–MS and confirmed by 1H NMR in more than 200 milk samples from dairy cows fed with different forages. Cyclopropyl fatty acids (about 0.1% of milk fat) were detected for the first time in milk and they were present only in milk samples from cows fed with forages containing maize silage, which is not allowed to produce milk for some PDO cheeses as Parmigiano-Reggiano. Their determination can be proposed as a quality parameter of milk or feed and it can be useful especially to distinguish cheeses sold as Parmigiano Reggiano from others cheeses. The content of x-cyclohexyl tridecanoic acid varied from 0.0% to 0.15% of milk fat, and it was higher in milk samples from cows fed with diets richer in cereal meals.