Stable Isotope and Element Profiling for Determining the Agroclimatic Origin of Cow Milk within a Tropical Country

• Published in: Foods Vol. 11; no. 3; p. 275
• Main Authors: Kalpage, Maheshika, Dissanayake, Champa, Diyabalanage, Saranga, Chandrajith, Rohana, Frew, Russell, Fernando, Ruchika
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 20-01-2022; MDPI
• Subjects: agroclimatic zones; Aluminum; Animals; cow milk; Cow's milk; Dairy farms; Dairy industry; Discriminant analysis; elemental profiling; Environmental conditions; Environmental management; Farm buildings; Feasibility studies; Fingerprints; Food science; Geography; Isotope composition; Isotope ratios; Isotopes; Laboratories; Manganese; Milk; Oils & fats; origin authentication; Precipitation; Quality management; Sri Lanka; Stable isotopes; Trace elements; New Zealand; United Kingdom > UK; Australia; Sri Lanka; Europe; China; elemental profiling; stable isotopes; agroclimatic zones; origin authentication; Sri Lanka; cow milk
• ISSN: 2304-8158; 2304-8158
• DOI: 10.3390/foods11030275

Information on the geographic origin of milk is important in determining quality attributes and for economic gain through building brand value associated with origin. Stable isotope signatures and trace element concentrations have been increasingly used in authentication of milk, though information on the power of such technology in verifying agroclimatic origin in small continents with diverse climatic, environmental conditions, and animal management practice is scarce. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to investigate the possibility of using a stable isotope composition of C, N, O, and H and element fingerprints to determine the agroclimatic origin of milk produced in different agroclimatic zones of Sri Lanka. Stable isotopes ratios of C, N, H, and O, and elemental fingerprints of milk samples were determined by IRMS and ICP-MS, respectively. Significant variations were observed in stable isotope ratios, especially δ
O and the mean content of Li, Al, Cr, Mn, and Sr in the bulk milk samples obtained from different agroclimatic zones. A linear discriminant analysis differentiated cow milk produced from four agroclimatic zones based on stable isotope ratios, and the inclusion of elemental ratios enhanced the discriminating ability.