Detection of cow immunoglobulin G (lgG) as a parameter of adulteration of sheep cheese in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

The most common way of milk products adulteration is by adding undeclared types of milk such as cow milk, to sheep and goat milk and their products. To prevent any undeclared addition of cow milk and to ensure consumer protection, common practice nowadays is to check the authenticity of a food product by examining its contents. The aim of the research was to provide an insight in the current situation at the Bosnia and Herzegovina market regarding the presence of cow immunoglobulin G (IgG) as the indicator of adulteration of sheep cheese by undeclared addition of cow milk. A commercial ELISA test kit was used to detect cow IgG in sheep cheese. The presence of cow IgG was detected in 32 (80%) of 40 tested samples of sheep cheese. Among the 32 adulterated sheep cheese samples significantly (P=0.03) most prevalent (53.1%) were those with cow milk content between 1% and 10%. Our results indicate the necessity for official control of sheep cheese adulteration by the unlabeled use of cow milk.