Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry in the dairy industry. 2. The protein fingerprint of ewe cheese and its application to detection of adulteration by bovine milk.

Ewe milk and ewe cheese samples were analysed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry and their protein profiles were compared with those obtained from bovine milk and bovine cheeses. Various mixtures of bovine and ewe cheeses in different weight ratios were analysed, leading to a reproducible calibration curve, which has been successfully employed in determining the percentage of bovine milk fraudulently added to ewe milk in the production of marketed ewe cheese.