A study on the quality of bovine colostrum: physical, chemical and safety assessment

Colostrum, as a bioactive substance for humans, could be a functional food ingredient ; today colostrum products are the object of health claims, even on line, especially from some foreign Countries. The aim of the present paper is to assess the quality of bovine colostrum samples taken in some farms in Sicily and in Calabria, in view of lack of information on physical and chemical and safety criteria on this product for human consumption. Comparing the overall picture of parameters under study, a relationship between these criteria was not easy, due to several factors, as for example animals breed, diversified farms management and other intrinsic and extrinsic additional factors relating to colostrum sampling. The aspects observed in the present study would suggest a great accuracy by competent authority during the qualitative controls of raw colostrum.