Quantitative analysis of menaquinones (vitamin K2) in various types of cheese from Switzerland
Barbara Walther International Dairy Journal Volume 112, January 2021, 104853
Vitamin K2 (MKn) has been assessed in some varieties of cheese, but data are limited and do not account for factors like seasonality that affect MKn. To investigate variation of MKn content in cheese, we assayed 121 cheese samples from 10 cheese varieties made from cows', goats', and ewes’ milk throughout an entire production year. The concentrations of menaquinone (MK) species MK-4 to MK-10 were determined using high performance liquid chromatography. MKn in the cheese ranged from 23 to 1312 μg kg−1. An important determinant of MKn content was the bacterial strains used in the starter cultures. Scalding temperature also influenced MKn content by affecting the survival of MKn-producing strains. Seasonal variability was observed for some cheese varieties, while fat content negatively correlated with total MKn. Based on our results, in Switzerland 13–17% of the recommended daily intake for MKn is met by cheese consumption.