Correlation and distribution of elemental markers of origin in the production of Bryndza sheep cheese

The successful classification of Bryndza, a typical Slovak national sheep cheese, from nine different Slovak producing regions, was based on canonical discriminant analysis. Elemental markers of origin (Ba, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mg, Mn, Ni and V) were determined by graphite furnace (GF) and flame atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). High correlations of elemental markers were found between pasture soil, grass, and Bryndza cheese originated from different regions. The concentration of these markers in pasture soils, grasses, as well as in all the milk and Bryndza cheese-making process was monitored. Their content in sheep milk, lumpy cheese, whey, boiled sheep whey and final Bryndza cheese was significantly correlated with the soil elemental markers. The final product was only slightly contaminated by the individual elements during the Bryndza production, without any significant influence on the Bryndza origin classification and/or traceability.