Integrazione della dieta di pecore da latte con lino estruso: effetti sulle caratteristiche chimiche e sensoriali del formaggio

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. 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.