Typicity and biodiversity of goat and sheep milk products

Production of typical dairy products from goats and ewes using local and traditional resources, plays a direct role in biodiversity enhancement. The breeding of dairy goats and sheep is characteristic of marginal and less favourite areas, where local breeds must adapt to local resources. Therefore, in these areas, typical products have been developed according to local resources available. The production of cheese with particular characteristics can be carried out only if genetic diversity in sheep and goat rearing is retained. In the European Community the originality of the goat and sheep milk products is protected by the legislation on the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and the Protected Geographic Indications (PGI). These designations constitute an element for the protection of the biodiversity of a territory (geological, pedological, climatical), plants, animals and microbes, practices and production systems, linked to the history and the local culture. On the other hand they assure suitable income for the rural population, protecting the products with a denomination against a competition based on low prices. International rules are opportune in order to protect the typical products, their specific characteristics and their biodiversity, encouraging the permanent residence of the population in the rural areas, especially in the less favourite areas. Milk composition, and especially proteins and fat, may vary according to genetic diversity of the animals and different feeding systems, giving peculiar features to the milk utilized to make typical cheeses. The paste rennet, usually produced by shepherds themselves from the abomasum of the lambs or kids of their flock, or the vegetable rennet from the cardoon (Cynara cardunculus) flowers locally harvested, are technological factors that strongly influence the quality of the local dairy products. Furthermore, the microbiological features and diversity in milk, starters and cheeses, with a main focus on the interaction with the environment and the exigency to preserve the microbiological diversity will be also reviewed. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.