Effect of the Addition of Donkey Milk on the Acceptability of Caciotta Cow Cheese

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Caciotta is a very popular cheese in Italy that can be made with cow, sheep, goat or buffalo milk. In this study, we investigated the effects of donkeys’ milk addition in the production of this cheese, considering a short- and a medium-ripening period. Two batches were considered for cheesemaking: cows’ milk only and cows’ milk with the addition of 5% donkey’s milk. With the longest ripening period, the cheese with donkey milk received the highest ratings for color, aroma, flavor, and overall liking. ABSTRACT: This study investigated the effects of adding donkey milk in cheesemaking on the acceptability of a Caciotta cow cheese after 10 and 45 days of ripening. The cheeses produced were: a control cheese with cow’s milk only and experimental cheese with the addition of 5% donkey’s milk. The acceptability of Caciotta was determined by the judgement of 80 habitual cheese consumers. The acceptability of the Caciotta cheese was significantly influenced by the addition of donkey milk, with the exception of the texture parameter. At a ripening time of 10 days, the control cheese scored significantly higher than the experimental cheese for aroma, flavor and overall liking; conversely, at the longest time, the experimental cheese had significantly higher scores for color, aroma, flavor, and overall liking. Our results confirm that the use of donkey milk in cheesemaking can improve cheese acceptability. In addition, the known benefits of using donkey milk in cheesemaking, such as the reduction of blowing defects and the probiotic properties, could increase interest in innovative products among both processors and consumers. Processors could reduce, if not eliminate, the use of additives in cheesemaking, while cheese could also appeal to consumers of probiotic and fermented products.