Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) content of French Emmental cheese: effect of the season, region of production, processing and culinary preparation

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and especially rumenic acid, are isomers of linoleic acid which have a great potential in human nutrition for their beneficial properties.The most important sources of natural CLA are milk and dairy products such as cheese.This study was delineated to assess the effects of sampling according to the cheese wheel, the seasonal and regional influence on CLA content in French Emmental cheese and, finally, the effects of culinary preparation of three different dishes (gratin, béchamel sauce and cheese fondue) and processed cheese.The rumenic acid content of Emmental cheese varied between 0.6% and 1.5% of total fatty acids according to the season and region of production, and appeared homogeneous through the cheese wheel.The culinary utilization and processing did not change the rumenic acid content of Emmental cheese.