| Abstract: | In order to establish criteria for the evaluation of the genuineness of milk fat and its derivatives, research has been carried out on some minor components (mono- and diglycerides and cholestrol esters). Most determinations of milk fat diglycerides showed significant qualitative and quantitative differences compared with other fat sources, and especially with tallow. In particular, the milk fat diglycerides C30–C32–C34–C36 showed characteristic fingerprints. Moreover, the sterol fractions (free and esterified) have also been evaluated. The cholesterol ester profile in milk lipids includs fatty acides from 10 to 18 carbon atoms, while tallow basically showed only C14–C16–C18. In comparison, phytosteral esters with C16 and C18 fatty acids have been found in vegetable fats. These results lead to the hypothesis of possible use of these methods in addition to those most commonly applied (TG-FAME). Furthermore, the natural variability of milk fat components makes a final evaluation of these methodologies difficult unless experimental work is extended to more samples and performed by several research groups. |
