Functional properties of cream from dairy cows with experimentally altered milk fat composition

Modification of milk fat composition might be a desirable method to alter manufacturing characteristics or produce dairy products low in saturated fat that more closely meet consumer dietary preferences. The aim of this research was to evaluate functional properties of cream obtained from milks with fat composition modified by altering the profile of long-chain fatty acids (FA) absorbed from the intestine. A control and 5 mixtures of long-chain free FA were infused into the abomasum of lactating dairy cows in a 6 × 6 Latin square design with 21-d periods. Treatments were as follows: (1) control (no FA infused), (2) mostly saturated FA (C16:C18 = 0.74), (3) low linoleic palm FA (C16:C18 = 0.73), (4) palm FA (C16:C18 = 0.73), (5) soy FA (C16:C18 = 0.10), and (6) high palmitic soy FA (C16:C18 = 0.73). All treatments included meat solubles and Tween 80 as emulsifiers. Viscosity, overrun, whipping time, foam firmness, and foam stability were evaluated in creams (33% fat). Cream from cows infused with soy FA (treatment 5) had the longest whipping time and lowest overrun, foam stability, viscosity, melting point, firmness, and solid fat content at 5 and 20°C because the fat had the highest unsaturated FA content. Increasing palmitic acid content of soy FA (treatment 6) improved functional variables in cream relative to soy FA alone. Differences among treatments 1 to 4 were less pronounced because of the effect of C18:1 trans in treatments 3 and 4 on milk fat yield and composition. Milk fat from cows infused with palm FA (treatment 4) exhibited comparable or better functionality than control cream. Increased polyunsaturated FA in milk fat resulted in increased amounts of triglyceride (TG) fractions with 28, 30, 38, and 40 carbon numbers, increased oleic acid resulted in increased 50-carbon TG, and higher palmitic and myristic acids resulted in greater 44, 46, and 48 carbon number TG. These TG groups consistently correlated with functional properties of creams from different treatments. Our results indicated that optimal functionality of cream is dependent more on its content of palmitic acid than on unsaturated FA. However, an optimal composition of milk fat for cream functional characteristics might be obtained through nutritional manipulation of diets for dairy cows to deliver an optimal profile of FA.