Minor and trace element content in sheep and goat milk and dairy products

The concentration ranges of certain health-related elements in milk and cheese are closely dependent upon animal species and feeding, time of year of sample collection, environmental conditions and manufacturing processes. The present study deals with the assessment of selected trace elements such as AI, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Pt, Sr and Zn in sheep and goat milk as well as in typical cheese, and concludes a series of studies previously carried out on cowʹs milk and related products. Samples of milk, curd and cheese following salting and after ripening for 1, 4 and 8 weeks were analysed. Quantitative determinations were performed mainly by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The results obtained show considerable differences among the trace element contents of sheep and goat milk and related products. Furthermore, significant differences were also found when comparing the present data on sheep and goat milk with those previously obtained for cowʹs milk. This sheds further light on the influence of animal species, feeding characteristics and environmental conditions on the distribution of trace elements in dairy products.