Abstract :
The aim of this experiment was to study consumer acceptability and composition of
Pecorino cheese obtained from ewes fed an extruded linseed-enriched diet. Sixty lactating
Sarda ewes were randomly assigned to 3 dietary treatments: (1) control concentrate
(CTR); (2) concentrate enriched with 100 g/kg of extruded linseed (EL-10); (3) concentrate
enriched with 200 g/kg of extruded linseed (EL-20), that were all administered along with
ad libitum alfalfa hay. Cheeses were made with the bulk milk obtained from the 3 groups.
The results showed that the diet affected cheese composition after 60 days of ripening.
Linseed supplementation decreased protein and fat content while it increased the concentration
of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and long-chain fatty acids in both EL-10 and
EL-20 cheeses. The extruded linseed-enriched diets improved the n-3 fatty acid and conjugated
linoleic acid contents and decreased the n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratio. A consumer panel
evaluated the cheeses for color, eyeness, toughness, Pecorino cheese odor, Pecorino cheese
flavor, extraneous odors and flavors and overall acceptability. Although EL-10 and EL-20
cheeses differed from the CTR cheese for some sensory profile attributes, all groups proved
similar for overall acceptability and presence of extraneous odors and flavors. A triangle
test showed no differences among dietary treatments. Furthermore, when a MOS sensor
array, composed of six metal oxide sensors, was used to evaluate the three types of cheeses,
no differences were found among groups. Extruded linseed supplementation seems therefore
a possible strategy for improving the nutritional quality of lipids in Pecorino cheese
without affecting its sensory properties.
