Chemical Profiles of the Volatilome and Fatty Acids of “Suero Costeño” (Fermented Cream)/Raw Milk from Colombia: Promising Criteria for the Autochthonous-Regional Product Identity Designation

Abstract

A traditional dairy product from northern Colombia is suero costeño (SC), typically handmade through artisanal processes involving the natural fermentation of raw cow’s milk (RM); it is characterized by a creamy texture and a distinctive sensory profile, with a sour/salty taste and rancid odor. This study aimed to determine the chemical identity (using GC-FID/MSD) of SC and RM samples (from eight locations in the department of Córdoba-Colombia) by analyzing volatile components (trapped by HS-SPME and SDE) and fatty acid content. Consequently, the most notable results were as follows: (a) myristic (7–12%), stearic (12–17%), oleic (13–23%), and palmitic (21–29%) acids were the most abundant constituents [without significant differences among them (p > 0.05)] in both RM and SC fats; these were also expressed as polyunsaturated (2–5%), monounsaturated (26–36%), saturated (59–69%), omega-9 (19–30%), omega-6 (0.5–1.6%), and omega-3 (0.2–1.2%) fatty acids; (b) differences in the composition (p < 0.05) of the volatile fractions were distinguished between RM and SC samples; likewise, the SC samples differed (from each other) in their volatile composition due to the preparation processes applied (processes with raw milk and natural fermentation had less variability); nonetheless, it was possible to determine the volatilome for the artisanal product; and (c) the major components responsible for the chemical identity of SC were ethyl esters (of linear saturated and unsaturated acids, short/medium chains), aliphatic alcohols (linear/branched, short/long chains), aliphatic aldehydes (long chains, >C₁₄), alkyl methyl ketones (long chains, >C₁₁), sesquiterpenes (caryophyllane/humulane types), monoterpenes (mono/bi-cyclics), short-chain fatty acids, and aromatic alcohol/acid, among others.