Does the stability of product change if you add conjugated linoleic acid?

Germany

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a naturally-occurring polyunsaturated fatty acid. It is actually a group of isomers of linoleic acid, meaning that it is chemically identical but has the atoms arranged in a different pattern than in ordinary linoleic acid. Linoleic acid is one of the essential fatty acids that must be obtained from the diet as human body is unable to manufacture it. It has been reported that conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) may be beneficial for human health. Several animal experiments have shown anticarcinogenic and antiatherogenic properties as well as an influence on body fat and energy metabolism. CLA is found naturally in the fat of ruminants (beef, lamb, veal) and in dairy products. Because of its chemical structure, CLA has been described to be more sensitive to oxidation processes or heat treatment than its analogue with non-conjugated double bonds. In order to get information on the stability of CLA during food production, the influence of Emmental cheese processing on the CLA content and isomer composition was evaluated in a study. No changes in the CLA content were observed during the cheese manufacturing process. Neither the use of different fermentation cultures (different strains of Propionibacterium spp.) nor changes in processing temperatures influenced the CLA content in the final cheese. Also the CLA isomer composition remained unchanged by processing. The fabrication of cheese spread with Emmental or the cooking or grilling of Emmental did not influence the CLA content. CLA seem to be stable in this type of dairy product under the conditions examined.