Physicochemical, microbiological and coagulating properties of ewe’s milk produced on the Calabrian Mount Poro plateau

Three hundred individual ewe’s milks and six bulk milks were analysed over two seasons. The results show that in spring but not in winter the milks examined conform substantially to the standards laid down by Italian legislation. Nevertheless, the data acquired constitute a good starting point from which the quality of ewe’s milk produced on the Calabrian Mount Poro plateau should be improved, by performing selection of sheep for mastitis resistance based on somatic cell count, improving the hygiene standards at the dairy, using selected autochthonous lactic starter cultures and, only if strictly necessary, thermal treatment of the milk.