Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 September 2010
The variation of protein fractions in the milk of indigenous Greek goats fCapra prisca) during the milking period was studied. Total nitrogen (TN), non-casein or soluble nitrogen (SN), rennet whey nitrogen (WN), non-protein nitrogen (NPN) were determined and from these analyses crude protein (CP), true protein (TP), casein (Cas) rennet casein or coagulable protein (Coag P) were calculated. The NPN component is lost during the cheese process whereas Cas and Coag P are important constituents of the cheese itself. The ratios NPNICP, CaslTP and Coag PITP throughout milking, were for the groups A and B 0·0646 and 0·0648 (s.e.d. = 0·00025), 0·846 and 0·845 (s.e.d. = 0·0141) and 0·916 and 0·904 (s.e.d. = 0·0112), respectively, suggesting a high level of suitability for conversion of milk into cheese.