Alpine Cheese More Nutritional

Swiss info reports today on a study conducted by Switzerland's Federal Institute of Technology that shows that cheese made from the milk of cows that graze on Alpine pastures has more nutritional value for humans than other cheeses. "There was a higher concentration of desirable fatty acids, such as Omega-3 and conjugated linoleic acid, compared with lowland cows," said Professor Michael Kreuzer, who led the research team.

The team, which studied two herds of Brown Swiss cows, hypothesizes that Alpine cows need to expend more energy to cope with the lower oxygen levels at high altitudes, leading to loss of important body reserves such as fat and proteins. This breakdown of fats resulted in the presence of more fatty acids in the milk, while the lower protein content also led to a springier texture in the final cheese.