Comparative analysis of fatty acid profile in commercially available Greek Cheeses

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Cheese's fatty acid composition is recognized as a key determinant of quality and potential health effects. Information on the fatty acid profile of commercially available cheeses without PDO or PGI certification remains limited. This study evaluated the fatty acid composition of 102 non-PDO/PGI cheeses collected from mainland and island regions of Greece. Samples were classified based on different milk type, location (geographical origin), and moisture content (cheese type). Geographical origin and milk type significantly influenced fatty acid composition, whereas cheese type had a limited effect. Island cheeses exhibited higher monounsaturated (C18:1n9c), total unsaturated, and ω3 fatty acids (C18:3n3), lower saturated fatty acids and SFA/UFA ratios. Cheeses produced from cow milk exhibited lower concentration of SCFA compared to cheeses from goat milk and cheeses from milk with undefined origin These findings indicate that milk source and geographical origin are the primary determinants of lipid quality in non-PDO/PGI Greek cheeses.