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Traditional Unfermented and Fermented Liquid Milk Products from the Malopolska Region

2021; Springer International Publishing; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1007/978-3-030-58092-6_12

2211-9027

Jacek Domagała, Dorota Najgebauer‐Lejko, Maria Walczycka,

Agricultural economics and policies

Polish Red Cattle constitute an important resource in agricultural production in the mountain area of southern Poland and are of high importance for the protection of cultural heritage in the Malopolska Region. This breed is included in the Program of Genetic Resources Conservation. The characteristic features of Polish Red Cattle are: high content of protein and dry matter in milk, advantageous amino acid composition of milk proteins, high resistance to rough environmental conditions, good health and resistance to diseases, very good fertility and high calves’ vitality, and extraordinary longevity. Milk from the cows of Polish Red was, in 2012, included in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s List of Traditional Products. The unique quality of this milk results from both the genetic endowment of the animals and from traditional feeding based on forages obtained from environmentally unpolluted mountain areas with diversified flora. This milk is also an excellent raw material for cheese production. Milk from Polish Red cows may be added to ewe’s milk for the production of “Bryndza Podhalanska,” “Oscypek,” and “Redykołka”—regional products with an EU’s Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status. The Regional Dairy Cooperative in Limanowa-Tymbark, located in the Beskid Wyspowy range, is one of the milk-processing establishments which specializes in the manufacturing of dairy products, included in the list of traditional products, from milk collected from the mountain areas. Among these products, pasteurized milk from Polish Red cows can be distinguished as an example of liquid unfermented products and sour cream as well as curdled milk for fermented products. Besides cow’s milk from the Polish Red breed, milk from sheep and goats grazed on the mountain pastures are used. Another traditional product from ewe’s milk constituting an important part of the cultural heritage of the Malopolska Region is żentyca—whey from ewe’s milk recorded in the list of traditional products. Żentyca is a by-product from bundz (rennet soft cheese) manufacturing which is carried on in shepherd huts located in the mountain pastures and sold as a fermented or unfermented product.