Milk fat is one of the most complex of all common fats, composed of about 98% triglycerides. It contains numerous fatty acids, mainly saturated (66%), but also monosaturated (30%) and polyunsaturated (4%).
Phospholipids are about .5 to 1% of total lipids, and· sterols are .2 to .5%. These are mostly located in the globule membrane. Cholesterol is the major sterol at 10 to 20 mg/dl.
The saturated fatty acid present in higher quantity on milk is the palmitic (C16:0), which represents round 40% of the total saturated fatty acid. Related to the amount of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), the oleic (C18:1) and the linoleic (C18:2) acids are the most representatives.
Milk fatty acid composition can be influenced by several factors, many of which are interactive. These include stage of lactation, seasonal variation, low milk fat syndrome, feeding, genetic variation, and changes in the energy status of the cow due to administration of bovine somatotropin.
Milk fat composition
