Short communication: Discrimination between retail bovine milks with different fat contents using chemometrics and fatty acid profiling.

ABSTRACT

We used a multivariate chemometric approach to differentiate or associate retail bovine milks with different fat contents and non-dairy beverages, using fatty acid profiles and statistical analysis. We collected samples of bovine milk (whole, semi-skim, and skim; n = 62) and non-dairy beverages (n = 27), and we analyzed them using gas-liquid chromatography. Principal component analysis of the fatty acid data yielded 3 significant principal components, which accounted for 72% of the total variance in the data set. Principal component 1 was related to saturated fatty acids (C40, C60, C80, C120, C140, C170, and C180) and monounsaturated fatty acids (C141 cis-9, C161 cis-9, C171 cis-9, and C181 trans-11); whole milk samples were clearly differentiated from the rest using this principal component. Principal component 2 differentiated semi-skim milk samples by n-3 fatty acid content (C203n-3, C205n-3, and C226n-3). Principal component 3 was related to C182 trans-9,trans-12 and C204n-6, and its lower scores were observed in skim milk and non-dairy beverages. A cluster analysis yielded 3 groups group 1 consisted of only whole milk samples, group 2 was represented mainly by semi-skim milks, and group 3 included skim milk and non-dairy beverages. Overall, the present study showed that a multivariate chemometric approach is a useful tool for differentiating or associating retail bovine milks and non-dairy beverages using their fatty acid profile.