Enhancing the Value of Organic Milk

With the increasing demand for locally sourced products, low-input systems, and organic agricultural goods, organic milk producers are seeking ways to ensure their milk is properly valued and rewarded.

Organic dairy systems are especially vulnerable to climatic variations, as forage production is highly dependent on environmental conditions. This reliance is even more pronounced in organic farming, where grass and hay form the bulk of the animals’ diet, with only limited supplementation. Such environmental factors result in significant quantitative and qualitative variations in milk production. Milk composition, in particular, plays a crucial role in determining cheese quality. In artisanal cheesemaking, where milk composition naturally fluctuates due to production conditions and where milk undergoes minimal standardization prior to processing, cheesemakers must adapt their techniques to these variations to achieve optimal quality in aged cheeses. To address these challenges, researchers at URTAL are investigating how milk produced under such seasonal, climatic, and other variable conditions can be better utilized for cheese production.

Since 2019, URTAL has been collaborating with INRAE ASTER-Mirecourt and UMRF-Aurillac [lien vers leur site]  on a series of studies. These studies aim to characterize the variability in the physicochemical and microbiological properties of organic milk and to explore how technological choices in cheesemaking can enhance the quality of cheeses made from this milk.

Episode 1 : BIOFROM Project (2019/2020)

This research project, funded by the TRANSFORM and ACT Departments of INRAE [lien vers leur site] was carried out in collaboration with the UR ASTER-Mirecourt (88) and a group of organic grass-fed dairy farmers from the Western Vosges plains who are committed to the Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (TSG) “Hay Milk” label . The Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (TSG) is an official European quality certification that highlights products with specific qualities derived from their composition, production, or processing methods rooted in traditional practices. Certified “Hay Milk” guarantees milk sourced from a diet comprising at least 75% dry matter from roughage (such as fresh grass and hay), free from GMOs and fermented feeds—including silage and wrapped haylage. Dairy products based on “Hay Milk” have been produced since 2016 for cow’s milk.

The BIOFROM project investigated the impact of a climatic event—a heatwave—on the physicochemical and microbiological composition of organic cow’s milk and its cheesemaking potential (or “cheesability”). Cheesability was assessed based on coagulation properties, acidification capacity, and laboratory-scale cheese yield, taking into account the broader dairy production context.

Milk samples were collected during four key periods of the dairy production cycle (spring, summer, autumn, and winter), with three repetitions, as well as during a specific climatic event—the early July 2019 heatwave. Two types of milk were studied: i/ single-milking milk produced at UR ASTER, and ii/ the same milk blended with milk from the four partner farms.

A total of 26 raw milk samples were analyzed for their physicochemical properties, microbiological profiles, and cheesemaking potential. These samples were then processed into cheese in the experimental mini-dairy using two distinct cheesemaking technologies: Cooked pressed cheese (full-fat Gruyère-style), and Uncooked pressed cheese (washed-rind Tomme-style). The resulting 52 cheeses were comprehensively characterized through physicochemical, microbiological, rheological, and sensory analyses.

Key Findings of the Study:

1. Comprehensive Database of Milk and Cheese Characteristics

The analyses resulted in the creation of a database detailing the characteristics of organic cow’s milk and the cheeses derived from it. The physicochemical analysis of the milk aligns with established scientific knowledge regarding farming practices, particularly feeding regimes. For instance, milk from single-milking systems demonstrated higher useful dry matter content, while spring and summer feeding regimes led to higher levels of unsaturated fatty acids.

1. Impact of the Heatwave

The climatic event (heatwave) significantly affected the physicochemical and microbiological properties of the milk as well as its coagulation capacity. However, the degree of impact varied between milk samples.

1. Resilience of Cooked Pressed Cheese Technology

Cooked pressed cheese technology demonstrated greater resilience to climatic variations compared to uncooked pressed cheese technology, making it more robust under challenging conditions.

1. Benefits of Milk Blending for Cheesemaking

The study revealed that blending milk, even on a small scale, offered advantages for cheesemaking, particularly in ensuring greater consistency in the final product.

1. Insights from a Parallel Study

A complementary study conducted by UR ASTER across five farms provided valuable insights into the connections between production contexts in organic farming systems and cheesemaking processes, shedding light on how farming practices influence cheese quality.

Contact :

• URTAL : eric.beuvier@inrae.fr, odile.rolet-repecaud@inrae.fr
• ASTER : thomas.puech@inrae.fr
• UMRF : celine.delbes@inrae.fr