Minor and trace element content of two typical Italian sheep dairy products

The concentration ranges in milk and cheese of a number of metallic element s relevant to the health of the consumer are dependent upon animal species, feeding, time of year, environmental conditions and manufacturing processe s. We hare measured the concentrations of selected trace elements - Al, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Pt, Sr and Zn - in raw ewes' milk and typical ewes' milk cheeses. Samples of milk, curd, whey, cheese after mould ing, cheese after salting, commercial cheese (Pecorino), Ricotta, scotta an d brine were analysed for seven complete cycles of cheese production. Sampl es of curd, whey, brine and waste product (i.e. scotta) were collected and analysed in addition to the cheese and milk to assess the distribution of e ach element in the main product, by-products and waste products during chee semaking. Quantitative determinations were performed mainly by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. There were considerable differ ences among the trace element contents of raw ewes' milk and related produc ts, indicating that manufacturing processes play a key role in the distribu tion of minor and trace elements. Two different approaches were used to ass ess the dietary intake of these elements associated with the consumption of Pecorino and Ricotta, and whether this had any nutritional or toxicologica l implications. The results indicated no toxicological risk and showed that , on the contrary, Pecorino may be a good source of several essential eleme nts.