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.