Persistent Organic Pollutants and Fatty Acid Profile in a Typical Cheese from Extensive Farms: First Assessment of Human Exposure by Dietary Intake

Abstract

Dairy products represent an important source of beneficial substances for humans. At the same time, they can expose the consumers to environmental contaminants ingested by animals through their diet, influencing their health negatively. This experiment aims to evaluate the risk and benefits related to the consumption of typical stretched cheeses, considering their fatty acid (FA) profile and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) content. Six representative farms, two of them organic, raising Cinisara cattle were selected, considering the typical extensive management systems, based on feeding of natural pasture integrated with concentrate and hay depending on the availability of forage on pastures. A total of 18 cheeses produced in winter, spring and summer with bulk milk of each farm were sampled and analyzed. The chemical composition of cheeses was influenced by farm management, and the FA profile mainly by the season. In particular, cheeses made in spring showed a healthier FA profile with the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), of omega3-PUFA and omega6/omega3 ratio pair to 7.29%, 1.44% and 1.32, respectively, while in winter 5.44%, 0.98% and 2.55, respectively, and in summer 4.77% 0.49% and 3.04, respectively. Due to high levels of feeding integration, cheese made in winter presented unhealthier characteristics compared to the cheeses made in spring and summer, showing high levels of saturated FA (66.2%, 64.2% and 65.5%, respectively), and large contents of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) (57.07 ng/g fat, 36.25 ng/g fat and 10.22 ng/g fat, respectively) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) (36.19 ng/g fat, 4.68 ng/g fat and 3.73 ng/g fat, respectively), mainly in those from non-organic farms. Levels of PCBs considered to be hazardous to human health were found in nine samples.

Contaminantes orgánicos persistentes: Impactos y medidas de control

“…Asimismo, varios COP muestran asociaciones positivas con marcadores de lesión hepática y la incidencia de enfermedad hepática, lo que sugiere que las toxinas ambientales son factores de riesgo importantes para la enfermedad hepática crónica, según indican los estudios de Hakkarainen et al (2023). En algunas muestras sobre estudios de la presencia de COP en la cadena alimenticia se encontraron niveles de PCB considerados peligrosos para la salud humana (Giosuè et al, 2022). Una gran cantidad de estudios han corroborado una asociación entre la disbiosis microbiana intestinal inducida por COP y la prevalencia de trastornos.…”

Cheese’s Bioactive Peptide Content and Fatty Acids Profile

“…Moreover, certain probiotic strains in cheese-making have been shown to enhance the bioactive peptide content. A study on cheddar cheese showed that using Lactobacillus casei 300 resulted in the formation of peptides with antihypertensive activity [11]. Moreover, the utilization of specific enzymes, such as proteases, in the cheese production process has demonstrated the ability to augment the presence of bioactive peptides.…”

“…The incorporation of plant-based diets, such as flaxseed, in dairy animals has been demonstrated to enhance the nutritional profile of cheese [10,11]. Flaxseed is recognized as a substantial reservoir of α-linolenic acid, classified as an omega-3 fatty acid, and widely acknowledged for its advantageous impact on cardiovascular well-being.…”

“…Research has indicated that the inclusion of flaxseed in the diet of dairy animals results in an elevated presence of omega-3 fatty acids in their milk. Consequently, DOI: http://dx.doi.org /10.5772/intechopen.112712 this dietary modification contributes to the resulting cheese's enhanced fatty acid composition [10,11].…”

Helix aspersa aspersa flour: An evaluation for dietary supplementation

“…Von Grebmer et al [ 12 ] support this finding, emphasizing the need for addressing food systems transformation and local governance to combat hunger. However, akin to other animal products [ [13] , [14] , [15] , [16] ], snails can accumulate various contaminants, including heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), originating from waste byproducts (gases, particles, sludge, liquid effluent) released into the environment, primarily from industrial activities. Many of these compounds are highly toxic and persist in the environment, posing significant risks to both human and ecosystem health [ 13 , 16 ] and having the potential to result in carcinogenic outcomes [ 17 ].…”