Lasé valdotèn
Ideal for cheese production, excellent for human health.
The milk from indigenous Aosta Valley breed cows is a true territorial excellence
that deserves to be enhanced.
Thanks to studies on casein allelic variants, it is possible to make the most of its properties
both for quality cheese production and to promote human health.
The study on allelic variants.
Protein characterization of Aosta Valley breed bovine milk
Il latte A2 è un tipo di latte che sta attirando sempre più l'attenzione degli esperti di nutrizione e degli appassionati di alimentazione sana. Questo latte contiene una variante della caseina, una proteina del latte, chiamata A2, che si sostiene abbia effetti positivi sulla caseificazione ed alcuni benefici sulla salute umana.
Analyses conducted by the Typicalp research team showed that the milk composition of indigenous Aosta Valley breed bovines has a high percentage of the B allelic variant of κ-casein and B of β-lactoglobulin, responsible for excellent cheese-making aptitude and a good frequency of A2 β-casein, correlated with high digestibility.
Increased cheese-making yield
The presence of A1 and B allelic variants of β-casein, B of β-lactoglobulin and, mainly, B of κ-casein have a positive effect on increasing fat, protein and casein content, increasing the number of κ-casein glycosylations and decreasing casein micelle size.
All this results in decreased coagulation time and greater coagulum compactness.
A2 milk is considered high quality for cheese-making, as it produces cheeses with a more delicate taste and creamier consistency.
This makes A2 milk particularly appreciated by high-quality cheese producers.
Greater digestibility
The A1 and B allelic variants of β-casein are often indicated as risk factors in the onset of numerous pathologies. According to some experts, A1 casein could be responsible for some health problems, such as gastrointestinal disorders, allergies, lactose intolerance and even autoimmune diseases. This is because A1 casein is cleaved during digestion producing a substance called beta-casomorphin-7 (BCM-7), which some argue may have negative health effects.
On the contrary, A2 casein, present in A2 milk, does not produce BCM-7 during digestion and would therefore be better tolerated by many people.
Furthermore, A2 milk could have positive effects on some health conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome or atopic dermatitis.
Thanks to the research activities of the Typicalp project, the milk from indigenous Aosta Valley breed bovines can be enhanced, offering breeders greater earning opportunities.
Valle d'Aosta milk is good for health and
the territory's economy
Thanks to the data from the research, a selection program could be hypothesized to:
✓ Increase milk cheese-making aptitude and increase cheese-making yields for "Fontina DOP" production and other Aosta Valley cheeses;
✓ Better enhance the PAT "Lasé" (Aosta Valley food milk) and increase breeder remuneration.
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