Czech J. Food Sci., 2014, 32(4):398-405 | DOI: 10.17221/510/2012-CJFS

Quality of cows' milk from organic and conventional farmingOriginal Paper

Lenka KOUŘIMSKÁ1, Veronika LEGAROVÁ1, Zdeňka PANOVSKÁ2, Jan PÁNEK2
1 Department of Quality of Agricultural Products, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
2 Department of Food Analysis and Nutrition, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology Prague, Prague, Czech Republic

The results of chemical and microbial analyses of raw milk samples coming from organic and conventional farming systems were statistically compared. The samples were analysed during a twelve-month period (June-May). A total of 2206 samples were collected of which 528 were organic. After raw milk was processed, sensory hedonic quality of 171 pairs of organic and conventional non-standardised pasteurised whole milk samples were evaluated using the pair comparison preference test. Four parameters in raw milk, free fatty acids, urea content, somatic cell count and coliform bacteria count, showed no significant differences between the two types of production. Significantly higher contents of protein, casein, lactose, and non-fat solids were detected in conventional milk, which also had a significantly lower freezing point. On the contrary, significantly higher contents of total mesophilic bacteria count and a higher percentage of samples with positive coliform bacteria count were found in organic milk samples. Sensory analysis of pasteurised milk showed no significant hedonic difference between organic and conventional samples.

Keywords: hedonic evaluation; microbiological quality; milk composition; Holsein cattle

Published: August 31, 2014  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
KOUŘIMSKÁ L, LEGAROVÁ V, PANOVSKÁ Z, PÁNEK J. Quality of cows' milk from organic and conventional farming. Czech J. Food Sci. 2014;32(4):398-405. doi: 10.17221/510/2012-CJFS.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Battaglini L.M., Renna M., Garda A., Lussiana C., Malfatto V., Mimosi A., Bianchi M. (2009): Comparing milk yield, chemical properties and somatic cell count from organic and conventional mountain farming systems. Italian Journal of Animal Science, 8: 384-386. Go to original source...
    2. Bergamo P., Fedele E., Iannibelli L., Marzillo G. (2003): Fat-soluble vitamin contents and fatty acid composition in organic and conventional Italian dairy products. Food Chemistry, 82: 625-631. Go to original source...
    3. Bloksma J., Adriaansen-Tennekes R., Huber M., de Vijver L.P.L.V., Baars T., de Wit J. (2008): Comparison of organic and conventional raw milk quality in the Netherlands. Biological Agriculture & Horticulture, 26: 69-83. Go to original source...
    4. Butler G., Nielsen J.H., Slots T., Seal C., Eyre M.D., Sanderson R., Leifert C. (2008): Fatty acid and fat-soluble antioxidant concentrations in milk from high- and low-input conventional and organic systems: seasonal variation. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 88: 1431-1441. Go to original source...
    5. Butler G., Collomb M., Rehberger B., Sanderson R., Eyre M., Leifert C. (2009): Conjugated linoleic acid isomer concentrations in milk from high- and low-input management dairy systems. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 89: 697-705. Go to original source...
    6. Butler G., Nielsen J.H., Larsen M.K., Rehberger B., Stergiadis S., Canever A., Leifert C. (2011a): The effects of dairy management and processing on quality characteristics of milk and dairy products. NJAS - Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences, 58: 97-102. Go to original source...
    7. Butler G., Stergiadis S., Seal C., Eyre M., Leifert C. (2011b): Fat composition of organic and conventional retail milk in northeast England. Journal of Dairy Science, 94: 24-36. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    8. Bylund G. (1995): Dairy Processing Handbook. Tetra Pak, Lund: 55-56.
    9. Carroll S.M., DePeters E.J., Taylor S.J., Rosenberg M., Perez-Monti H., Capps V.A. (2006): Milk composition of Holstein, Jersey, and Brown Swiss cows in response to increasing levels of dietary fat. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 131: 451-473. Go to original source...
    10. Cermanova I., Hanuš O., Roubal P., Vyletělová M., Genčurová V., Jedelská R., Kopecký J., Dolínková A. (2011): Effect of organic farming on selected raw cow milk components and properties. Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturea Mendelianae Brunensis, 59 (6): 81-92. Go to original source...
    11. Chazal M.P., Chilliard Y. (1986): Effect of stage of lactation, stage of pregnancy, milk yield and herd management on seasonal variation in spontaneous lipolysis in bovine milk. Journal of Dairy Research, 53: 529-538. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    12. Cicconi-Hogan K.M., Gamroth M., Richert R., Ruegg P.L., Stiglbauer K.E., Schukken Y.H. (2013): Associations of risk factors with somatic cell count in bulk tank milk on organic and conventional dairy farms in the United States. Journal of Dairy Science, 96: 3689-3702. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    13. Croissant A.E., Washburn S.P., Dean L.L., Drake M.A. (2007): Chemical properties and consumer perception of fluid milk from conventional and pasture-based production systems. Journal of Dairy Science, 90: 4942-4953. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    14. Dangour A.D., Allen E., Lock K., Uauy R. (2010a): Nutritional composition & health benefits of organic foods - using systematic reviews to question the available evidence. Indian Journal of Medical Research, 131: 478-480.
    15. Dangour A.D., Lock K., Hayter A., Aikenhead A., Allen E., Uauy R. (2010b): Nutrition-related health effects of organic foods: a systematic review. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 92: 203-210. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    16. Ellis K.A., Innocent G., Grove-White D., Cripps P., McLean W.G., Howard C.V., Mihm M. (2006): Comparing the fatty acid composition of organic and conventional milk. Journal of Dairy Science, 89: 1938-1950. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    17. Ellis K.A., Innocent G.T., Mihm M., Cripps P., McLean W.G., Howard C.V., Grove-White D. (2007a): Dairy cow cleanliness and milk quality on organic and conventional farms in the UK. Journal of Dairy Research, 74: 302-310. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    18. Ellis K.A., Monteiro A., Innocent G.T., Grove-White D., Cripps P., McLean W.G., Howard C.V., Mihm M. (2007b): Investigation of the vitamins A and E and β-carotene content in milk from UK organic and conventional dairy farms. Journal of Dairy Research, 74: 484-491. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    19. Fox P.F., McSweeney P.H.L. (1998): Dairy chemistry and biochemistry. Blackie Academic & Professional, London: 444-445.
    20. Gil J.M., Gracia A., Sanchez M. (2000): Market segmentation and willingness to pay for organic food products. International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, 3: 207-226. Go to original source...
    21. Hajšlová J., Schulzová V., Slanina P., Janné K., HellenÄs K.E., Andersson Ch. (2005): Quality of organically and conventionally grown potatoes: Four-year study of micronutrients, metals, secondary metabolites, enzymic browning and organoleptic properties. Food Additives and Contaminants, 22: 514-534. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    22. Halliwell B. (1996): Antioxidants in human health and disease. Annual Review of Nutrition, 16: 33-50. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    23. Hanuš O., Brychtová J., Genčurová V., Pesl J., Hulová I., Vyletělová M., Jedelská R., Kopecký J. (2008a): Effect of conversion from conventional to organic dairy farm on milk quality and health of dairy cows. Folia Veterinaria, 52: 140-148.
    24. Hanuš O., Vorlíček Z., Sojková K., Rozsypal R., Vyletělová M., Roubal P., Genčurová V., Pozdíšek J., Landová H. (2008b): A comparison of selected milk indicators in organic herds with conventional herd as reference. Folia Veterinaria, 52: 155-159.
    25. Hill H., Lynchehaun F. (2002): Organic milk: attitudes and consumption patterns. British Food Journal, 104: 526-542. Go to original source...
    26. ISO 4832 (2006): Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs - Horizontal method for the enumeration of coliforms - Colony-count technique. International Organization for Standardization, Geneva.
    27. ISO 5495 (2005): Sensory analysis - Methodology - Paired comparison test. International Organization for Standardization, Geneva.
    28. ISO 8586-1 (1993): Sensory analysis - General guidance for the selection, training and monitoring of assessors. Part 1: Selected assessors. International Organization for Standardization, Geneva.
    29. ISO 22935-1 (2009): Milk and milk products - Sensory analysis - Part 1: General guidance for the recruitment, selection, training and monitoring of assessors. International Organization for Standardization, Geneva.
    30. Kalač P. (2011): The effects of silage feeding on some sensory and health attributes of cow's milk: A review. Food Chemistry, 125: 307-317. Go to original source...
    31. Komprda T. (2009): Comparison of quality and safety of organic and conventional foods. Chemické Listy, 103: 729-732.
    32. Kuczynska B., Puppel K., Golebiewski M., Metera E., Sakowski T., Sloniewski K. (2012): Differences in whey protein content between cow's milk collected in late pasture and early indoor feeding season from conventional and organic farms in Poland. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 92: 2899-2904. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    33. Kühn C., Thaller G., Winter A., Bininda-Emonds O.R.P., Kaupe B., Erhardt G., Bennewitz J., Schwerin M., Fries R. (2004): Evidence for multiple alleles at the DGAT1 locus better explains a quantitative trait locus with major effect on milk fat content in cattle. Genetics, 167: 1873-1881. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    34. Kummeling I., Thijs C., Huber M., van de Vijver L.P.L., Snijders B.E.P., Penders J., Stelma F., van Ree R., van den Brandt P.A., Dagnelie P.C. (2008): Consumption of organic foods and risk of atopic disease during the first 2 years of life in the Netherlands. British Journal of Nutrition, 99: 598-605. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    35. Lemaitre R.N., King I.B., Mozaffarian D., Kuller L.H., Tracy R.P., Siscovick D.S. (2003): n-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids, fatal ischemic heart disease, and nonfatal myocardial infarction in older adults: the cardiovascular health study. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 77: 319-325. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    36. McGuire M.A., McGuire M.K. (1999): Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA): A ruminant fatty acid with beneficial effects on human health. Proceedings of the American Society of Animal Science, 50: 1-8. Go to original source...
    37. Michaelidou N., Hassan M. (2008): The role of health consciousness, food safety concern and ethical identity on attitudes and intentions towards organic food. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 32: 163-170. Go to original source...
    38. Mogensen L., Vestergaard J.S., Frette X., Lund P., Weisbjerg M.R., Kristensen T. (2010): Effect of toasting field beans and of grass-clover: Maize silage ratio on milk production, milk composition and sensory quality of milk. Livestock Science, 128: 123-132. Go to original source...
    39. Muller U., Sauerwein H. (2010): A comparison of somatic cell count between organic and conventional dairy cow herds in West Germany stressing dry period related changes. Livestock Science, 127: 30-37. Go to original source...
    40. Nauta W.J., Baars T., Bovenhuis H. (2006): Converting to organic dairy farming: Consequences for production, somatic cell scores and calving interval of first parity Holstein cows. Livestock Science, 99: 185-195. Go to original source...
    41. O'Donnell A.M., Spatny K.P., Vicini J.L., Bauman D.E. (2010). Survey of the fatty acid composition of retail milk differing in label claims based on production management practices. Journal of Dairy Science, 93: 1918-1925. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    42. Olivo C.J, Beck L.I., Gabbi A.M., Charao P.S., Sobczak M.F., Uberty L.F.G., Dürr J.W., Filho R.A. (2005): Composition and somatic cell count of milk in conventional and agro-ecological farms: a comparative study in Depressão Central, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Livestock Research for Rural Development, 17: Article #72. Available at http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd17/6/oliv17072.htm (accessed May 3, 2013).
    43. Popović-Vranješ A., Savić M., Pejanović R., Jovanović S., Krajinović G. (2011): The effect of organic milk production on certain milk quality parameters. Acta Veterinaria (Beograd), 61: 415-421. Go to original source...
    44. Popović Vranješ A.P., Krajinović M., Kecman J., Trivunović S., Pejanović R., Krajinović G., Mačak G. (2010): Usporedba sastava masnih kiselina konvencionalnog i organskog mlijeka. Mljekarstvo, 60: 59-66.
    45. Popović-Vranješ A., Pejanović R., Cvetanović D., Jevtić M., Popović M., Glavas-Trbić D., Jez G. (2012): Primjena holističkih metoda u analizi organskog mlijeka. Mljekarstvo, 62: 284-290.
    46. Prandini A., Sigolo S., Piva G. (2009): Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and fatty acid composition of milk, curd and Grana Padano cheese in conventional and organic farming systems. Journal of Dairy Research, 76: 278-282. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    47. Rey-Crespo F., Miranda M., López-Alonso M. (2013): Essential trace and toxic element concentrations in organic and conventional milk in NW Spain. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 55: 513-518. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    48. Rosati A., Aumaitre A. (2004): Organic dairy farming in Europe. Livestock Production Science, 90: 41-51. Go to original source...
    49. Sabbioni A., Beretti V., Tardini L., Vezzali S., Paini V., Superchi P. (2012): Milk production and lactation curves of Bianca Val Padana and Italian Friesian dairy cows in relation to the management system. Italian Journal of Animal Science, 11: 141-144. Go to original source...
    50. Sakowski T., KuczyŃska B., Puppel K., Metera E., Sloniewski K., Barszczewski J. (2012): Relationships between physiological indicators in blood, and their yield, as well as chemical composition of milk obtained from organic dairy cows. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 92: 2905-2912. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    51. Sato K., Bartlett P.C., Erskine R.J., Kaneene J.B. (2005): A comparison of production and management between Wisconsin organic and conventional dairy herds. Livestock Production Science, 93: 105-115. Go to original source...
    52. Schulzová V., Hajšlová J., Botek P., Peroutka R. (2007): Furanocoumarins in vegetables: influence of farming system and other factors on levels of toxicants. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 87: 2763-2767. Go to original source...
    53. Slots T., Butler G., Leifert C., Kristensen T., Skibsted L.H., Nielsen J.H. (2009): Potentials to differentiate milk composition by different feeding strategies. Journal of Dairy Science, 92: 2057-2066. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    54. Stergiadis S., Leifert C., Seal C.J., Eyre M.D., Nielsen J.H., Larsen M.K., Slots T., Steinshamn H., Butler G. (2012): Effect of feeding intensity and milking system on nutritionally relevant milk components in dairy farming systems in the north east of England. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 60: 7270-7281. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    55. Stergiadis S., Seal C.J., Leifert C., Eyre M.D., Larsen M.K., Butler G. (2013): Variation in nutritionally relevant components in retail Jersey and Guernsey whole milk. Food Chemistry, 139: 540-548. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    56. Stolz H., Stolze M., Janssen M., Hammb M. (2011): Preferences and determinants for organic, conventional and conventional-plus products - The case of occasional organic consumers. Food Quality and Preference, 22: 772-779. Go to original source...
    57. Sutton J.D. (1989): Altering milk composition by feeding. Journal of Dairy Science, 72: 2801-2814. Go to original source...
    58. Toledo-Alonzo P. (2003): Studies of raw milk from sustainable/organic production systems. [Licentiate Thesis.] Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala: 24-25.
    59. Toledo P., Andren A., Bjorck L. (2002): Composition of raw milk from sustainable production systems. International Dairy Journal, 12: 75-80. Go to original source...
    60. Winter A., Krämer W., Werner F.A.O., Kollers S., Kata S., Durstewitz G., Buitkamp J., Womack J.E., Thaller G., Fries R. (2002): Association of a lysine-232/ alanine polymorphism in a bovine gene encoding acylCoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT1) with variation at a quantitative trait locus for milk fat content. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 99: 9300-9305. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    61. Zagorska J., Ciprovica I. (2008): The chemical composition of organic and conventional milk in Latvia. In: Proceedings 3rd Baltic Conference on Food Science and Technology Foodbalt-2008, Latvia University of Agriculture, Jelgava: 10-14.

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY NC 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content