Increase of Conjugated Linoleic Acid Content of Dairy Food by Feeding

Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) belong to the family of recently discovered anti-cancer factors found in milk fat. In order to exert a significant protection against the development of cancer, intake of CLA should be increased, which can be accomplished with the consumption of food products with enhanced CLA level. The increase of CLA content in milk fat can be obtained through feeding by modification of the biological hydrogenation processes in the rumen. The factors which exert an effect on the amount of CLA formed in conjunction with feeding are the amount and composition of the oil supplementation, the stage of the fat in the diet (e.g. free fat addition or fat within seeds), the structure of the fat-carrier, the fiber content and energy level of feed and the feeding regimen. While assembling diets the above factors should be applied in such a manner that paralell with the increase of CLA content of milk fat possible negative effects due to emerged oil consumption e.g. milk fat depression, decrease of the digestibility of nutrients and that of feed intake would be minimized.