Mineral elements in sheep cheese

• Published in: Veterinarska stanica Vol. 52; no. 2; pp. 185 - 192
• Main Authors: Kustura, Aida, Velić, Lejla, Softić, Almira, Tahirović, Dinaida, Batinić, Vinko, Hadžimusić, Nejra, Ohran, Husein, Hodžić, Aida, Hrković-Porobija, Amina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2021
• ISSN: 0350-7149; 1849-1170
• DOI: 10.46419/vs.52.2.5

The indigenous Travnik (Vlasic) cheese is produced in central Bosnia in the area of Mt. Vlasic. This cheese belongs to the group of white soft cheeses, ripened in brine under anaerobic conditions, and made from raw, thermally untreated sheep’s milk. The production technology is very simple and is adapted to mountainous conditions. Cheese is an important source of essential nutrients, in particular proteins, fat, vitamins and minerals. The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of macroelements (Ca, Na, K, Mg, P) and microelements (Zn, Fe, Cu) in 15 samples of Travnik sheep cheese using the atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and ultraviolet–visible spectrometry (UV-VIS) methods. A tendency of increasing Mg and K, Fe and Ca, Fe and Mg, and Fe and P was determined in the examined samples, but without statistical significance. The correlation coefficient values showed statistical validity at the level of high significance of differences (P<0.01). Autohtoni travnički (vlašički) se sir proizvodi u planinskom području centralne Bosne na planini Vlašić. Ovaj sir pripada skupini bijelih mekih sireva koji zriju u salamuri u anaerobnim uvjetima, proizvedeni od sirovog, termički neobrađenog ovčjeg mlijeka. Tehnologija proizvodnje je vrlo jednostavna i odgovara uvjetima proizvodnje u planinskim područjima. Sir je bogat izvor esencijalnih hranjivih sastojaka, posebice proteina, masti, vitamina i minerala. Cilj ovog istraživanja je određivanje koncentracija makro elemenata (Ca, Na, K, Mg, P) i mikro elemenata (Zn, Fe, Cu) u 15 uzoraka autohtonog ovčjeg sira tehnikom atomsko apsorpcijskom spektrometrijom (engl. Atomic absorption spectrometry, AAS) i spektrometrijom ultraljubičastim zrakama (engl. Ultravioletvisible spectrometry, UV-VIS). Tendencija povećanja Mg i K, Fe i Ca, Fe i Mg te Fe i P ustvrđena je u uzorku ispitivanog sira, ali bez statističke značajnosti. Vrijednosti koeficijenta korelacije pokazale su statističku značajnost na razini velike značajnosti razlika (P<0,01).