Relation of Degree of Saturation of Milk Fat to Development of Oxidized Flavor

Various investigators have suggested that the degree of saturation of the milk fat is related to the oxidation of the fat and occurrence of oxidized flavor. Henderson and Roadhouse (4) found that cows on submaintenance rations produce a more unsaturated fat which is more susceptible to oxidation than cows on regular rations. Stebnitz and Sommer (8) have reported that butterfat produced in the summer was more unsaturated and more readily oxidized than winter fat, although it is known that winter milk is much more likely to develop an oxidized flavor than summer milk.