Depending on age, human beings have different needs for nutrients which can be supplied only through a varied diet. Milk and dairy products play a very important part in the human diet thanks to their composition in different nutritive elements. Among the most important elements are the proteins, linoleic acids, short chain fatty acids, sphingolipids…
In honey there are different natural antibacterial substances, or so called inhibines. One of them, hydrogen peroxide, was thought to be the most important one. However, our studies show, that there are different non-peroxide antibacterial substances. Contrary to the peroxide inhibines, they are not sensitive towards heat , light and storage. The antibacterial effect of…
“Numerous traditional Swiss cheese varieties are smear-ripened e.g. Gruyère, Raclette, Appenzeller and Tilsiter. The smear is a very complex ecosystem composed of moulds, yeasts and bacteria. It contributes to the typical flavour of these cheese varieties. In recent years, the occurence of a defect, the so-called stickiness of the smear, has increased. The smear became…
In the year 2000, new reference values for the intake of nutritive substances were published in the German speaking countries. These values differ from previous recommendations, for the German population, for example, in a higher intake of folic acid, vitamin C and calcium. In order to comply with these recommendations, the consumers should attach more…
It is undebated that a sufficient consumption of fruit and vegetables decreases the risk of various diseases. In spite of this, Swiss consumption of fruit and vegetables remains relatively low. Campaigns are now planned in Switzerland to increase consumption of these food groups, with a view to contributing to the prevention of several diseases. Hindering…
Proteolysis has a strong influence on the melting properties of Raclette cheese. In a multifactoriel cheesemaking trial the influences of the proteinase-activity of the lactococci-culture (proteinase-positive / proteinase-negative) and the type of ripening (smear ripening / foil ripening) on the melting properties of Raclette cheese were investigated. The trial showed that the proteinase-activity of the…
The natural environmental conditions in Switzerland are not in favor of an adequate selenium supply to humans and animals. However, the results of different studies (food, blood serum) demonstrate a sufficient selenium status of the population. The reasons are selenium-rich wheat imported from North-America as well as the supplementation of feeds for domestic animals. It…
Sugar content and firmness are two important factors determining eating quality of apples. Sensory analysis with a trained panel confirmed that sweetness, sourness, fruitiness and firmness can be predicted by instrumental measurements such as total soluble solids (refractometer), titratable acidity and firmness measurements by penetrometer. Tests with consumers indicated that Golden Delicious of acceptable eating…
Pasteurized cream with 260, 290, 320 and 350 g/kg fat content was treated by high pressure in the range between 300 and 800 MPa. Whipping properties of cream with fat content < 320 g/kg was better after pressurization. The whipping time was 15 to 25 % shorter and loss of serum was lower. This is…
Switzerland is not exempted from the proliferation of labels in the beef industry. The possible effects on beef quality of the specific norms which have been elaborated by the label organisations are discussed in this review. The quality of the final product depends not only on the way the animals are fattened, it depends even…
Meat quality is the result of complex effects, which depend on many factors, primarily the location of the muscle in the body, but also on sex, breed, nutrition, growth rate, age at slaughter, fatness and carcass conformation. The literature on the subject of the various influencing factors is reviewed, and their impact on bovine meat…
The conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) represent a group of natural isomers which are derived from linoleic acid. Because of their unique characteristics they exert chemical and physiological effects on the organism which differ from those of linoleic acid. In animal models as well as in in vitro models using tumour cells of human origin, they…
In Switzerland the amount of hard cheeses spoilt by butyric acid fermentation increased in the last years distinctly. Two main reasons are discussed: higher counts of spores of Clostridium tyrobutyricum in milk or better conditions for germination and growth in cheese. Cheese-making trials allowed to show, that high cooking temperatures in the manufacturing process can…
There are approximately 20 viruses which might be transmitted to humans by contaminated milk or milk products. Among them are milk borne viruses and enteric viruses which could contaminate milk products through process water during manufacture. Because of the lack of relevant data it is very difficult to assess the risk for consumers health. But…
Contamination of milk with spores of Clostridium tyrobutyricum is causing late blowing in hard and semi-hard cheese. The microfiltration at 12°C and 40°C reduced the count of spores efficiently making it possible to manufacture cheese of good quality from silage milk with initially high spore contamination. The mass balance showed that microfiltration at 12°C resulted…
“It is planned to cultivate suitable chestnut varieties for commercial use in the Ticino region of Switzerland. Quality analysis were carried out on five native chestnut varieties and the results compared with a commercial variety. With the exception of “”Pinca”” the fruit size of the native varieties was significantly smaller than that of the imported…
The belief that in human consumption of milk produces more mucus is widespread. After Australian studies, some parameters of mucus production changed after consumption of milk. But these effects are not specific for milk because a non-cow’s milk drink with similar sensory characteristics caused the same changes. Individuals who believe it have more respiratory symptoms.…
The Fourth Swiss Report on Nutrition contains as the Second and the Third of these Reports several statements about the nutritional significance of milk and dairy products. These concern regional differences in the nutrition behaviour the nutrition of some population groups and consumer knowledge about milk and dairy products in nutrition.
The Fourth Swiss Report on Nutrition examines as the Second and the Third of these Reports the nutritional situation and state of the Swiss population. The present review resumes the information available on the consumption of foods from animal origin and their significance on our nutrition as well as on some toxicological and microbiological aspects.
Since 1986, the FAM offers to the consultant services the possibility to have phages analysed. Methods used for this purpose have been optimised and are, since 1994, integrated in an accredited field. Our experiments have shown that phages participate in most of the starter acidification failures. Although phages have to be tolerated in dairy factories,…
This study compares the specificity and characteristics of two Swiss hard (Gruyère) cheese varieties manufactured at different altitudes: i) L’Etivaz cheese manufactured at L’Etivaz with 2 production sites (L’Etivaz 1 & I’Etivaz 2, 1300-2100 m), ii) Gruyère cheese manufactured Montbovon (1000 m) and at Grangeneuve/Posieux (600 m). These four production sites were studied during the…
A daily supply of 800 to 1200 mg Calcium in adolescence is crucial to prevent osteoporosis in the adult. Vegetarians are dependent on calcium rich vegetables. Recent research data indicate that the bioavailability of calcium from broccoli and kale is almost identical to that of milk. In our experiments broccoli and kale were grown in…