Conjugated linoleic acid isomer (cis9,trans11 and trans10,cis12) content in cheeses from Italian large-scale retail trade

The aim of the work was to complete data obtained in previous studies with a survey on cis9,trans11 (c9,t11) and trans10,cis12 (t10,c12) conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) content in cheeses collected from Italian large-scale retail trade. This is an integral part of a total study characterising food CLA content, with objective of estimating daily CLA intake of Italian consumers. Among the sampled cheeses (n = 102), Gruyere and Feta (10.21 and 8.50 mg g(-1) fat, respectively) had the highest (P < 0.05) c9,t11 contents. Furthermore, cheeses with long-ripening period (>180 d) showed higher c9,t11 values than those with a shorter maturation period. The t10,c12 CLA isomer was almost absent, being detected only in Gruyere, Stracchino, Robiola, Philadelphia and Scamorza, with values up to 0.4 mg g(-1) fat. These data improved knowledge about CLA content of dairy products, and this will help make an accurate estimate of CLA ingested by Italian consumers. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.