Oxidized Flavor in Milk. IX. The Effect of the Quality of Hay and Early Stage of Lactation on the Carotene Content of Butterfat and on the Ascorbic Acid Content of the Milk and their Relationship to the Development of Metal-Induced Oxidized Flavor

Abstract

One of the earliest workers to report a seasonal variation in oxidized flavor was Mattick (11) who in 1927 reported that oiliness in milk appeared in autumn, winter and spring, but never in the summer. Kende (10) recognized this fact and. as a result of his work concluded that green feed contained some substance or substances which when fed to the cow protected the milk against the off-flavor. Since that time numerous workers have observed the difference in the susceptibility of winter and summer milk to oxidized flavor. Stebnitz and Sommer (15) found that when cows received grass as part of their ration, the butterfat became less saturated and more susceptible to" oxidation. However, it appeared that protective substances in the milk prevented the development of oxidized flavor. Likewise, it is generally agreed that green feeds yield a more stable flavored milk as compared to milk produced on dry feed.