Effect of Heavy Metal Contamination on Caciotta Cheese Made from Buffalo Milk

Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) are environmental contaminants that induce oxidative damage in milk and dairy products. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of in vitro administration of Pb and Cd on the oxidative status and antioxidant capacity of buffalo cheese. Three batches (10 L each) of buffalo milk were divided: lead acetate (1 ppm) was added to the first batch, cadmium chloride (1 ppm) was added to the second batch and the last batch was control milk. Milk samples were stored at 4 °C for 24 h before the production of “caciotta” cheese (250 g each; n = 10 for each batch) and analyzed at the end of repining. The effect of the addition did not record significant differences in chemical composition (p > 0.05) compared to control. In contrast, oxidative stability assessed by primary (peroxide value—PV and acid degree value—ADV) and secondary (fatty acid oxidation products—TBARs assay) peroxidation showed significant differences (p < 0.05). Furthermore, Cd and Pb led to a significant increase in saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), while polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were lower compared to the control (C; p < 0.05), especially in Pb cheese. The Cd and Pb cheese showed an increase in MDA value of 26 and 38% compared to the C. Metals also negatively influenced the antioxidant capacity of cheese (p < 0.05); specifically, Cd cheese showed lower ABTS, FRAP and thiol values. Finally, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was also strongly decreased with the addition of metals, especially Pb (p < 0.05).