Elemental and isotopic characterisation of typical Italian alpine cheeses

Abstract

Seven kinds of bovine milk cheese (Asiago, N¼ 16; Fontina, N ¼ 16; Montasio, N¼ 16; Puzzone, N ¼ 14; Spressa, N¼ 15; Toma, N ¼ 16; Vezzena, N ¼ 16) produced in alpine and pre-alpine Italian areas are described using the isotopic ratios of C, N, O, S and Sr and the contents of 49 mineral elements. A multivariate discriminant analysis based on Ba, Ca, K, Mg, Rb, d13Ccasein, d15Ncasein and d18Oglycerol correctly classified 94% of the 109 samples with a maximum of 100% in the case of Fontina and Puzzone, d13Ccasein and d13Cglycerol provided an estimation of the maize uptake in the animals’ diet and Protected Designation of Origin protocol observanc