Influence of marine algae (Schizochytrium sp.) supplementation, ripening and vacuum packaging on goat cheese composition and fatty acid profile

The effect of diet (marine algae – MA; control – C), time of ripening (2 days, 4 and 8 weeks) and vacuum packaging on the composition and fatty acid (FA) profile of semi-hard cheese were evaluated in this study. Twenty-eight Alpine goats were housed indoors and randomly allocated to two groups: control group (C) was fed by 1500 g alfalfa hay and 600 g concentrate (n = 14); experimental group (MA) was fed by the same feed as C group supplemented 10 g/head/day Schizochytrium limacinum (n = 14). The study lasted 45 days, when milk samples were taken the last 10 days for their processing and analysis. Cheese samples (C: n = 15; MA: n = 25) were prepared from bulk milk from both groups and ripened. On day 2 of ripening, ten MA cheese samples were vacuum packed in foil. The semi-hard cheese samples were collected at 2nd day, then 4th and 8th weeks of ripening period. The MA supplementation did not significantly affect the composition of the milk. However, the MA supplementation had a significant (p