Comparative Study of Free and Total Fatty Acids of Spreadable Cheeses by Mass Spectrometry Methods

Spreadable cheeses are increasingly popular due to their smooth texture and convenience. Here, we extensively profile medium‐ and long‐chain fatty acids (FAs) in a great variety of spreadable cheeses, including unripened fresh and processed cheeses as well as plant‐based alternatives, in the context of an exploratory market mapping. 45 products of different milk origin (cow milk, goat or/and sheep or/and cow milk), with or without other foodstuffs (e.g., truffle) as well as two coconut‐derived products were analyzed. Free fatty acids (FFAs) were determined via a fast liquid chromatography‐high resolution mass spectrometry (LC‐HRMS) method and compared with total FA composition. Palmitic (13.5%‐33.7%), oleic (19.6%‐25.6%) and myristic (12.5‐21.5%) acids were the predominant total FAs in milk‐derived samples, while FFAs were dominated by oleic (25.11‐55.55 µg/g) and myristic (9.76‐17.39 µg/g) acids. Principal component analysis (PCA) of FFAs in unripened fresh spreadable cheeses suggests that the milk origin is a crucial factor for differentiating such products.