###### Abstract  
In this study, Caciocavallo, a typical cheese produced in Sicily Island (Italy), was obtained from the milk of dairy cows fed with and without enriched olive cake (ECO and CTR, respectively) in order to evaluate nutritional, microbiological, volatile, and sensory differences in cheeses. ECO cheese showed greater (\(p<0.05\)) MUFA and PUFA and polyphenols content and lower SFA content than CTR cheese. Microbiological analyses revealed the absence of Salmonella, _Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli_, and _E. coli_ O157, and no significant differences in the viable counts of the remaining microbial groups analyzed, between samples. Thermophilic lactococci were more prevalent in ECO cheese. The implementation of a culture-independent method, such as PCR-DGGE analyses, revealed the presence of a more diverse microbial population in both cheees. Regarding the volatile compounds profile, long-chain free fatty acids were more abundant in the ECO cheese, resulting in a healthier free fatty acid profile. This study also showed that, especially for their appearance and taste, consumers mostly appreciated the ECO cheese. The results show that using enriched olive cake could enhance the sustainability and the quality of Rapsano cheese, improving not only the health of its consumers but also positively influencing tastes and acceptability.  
chees; fatty acids; polyphenols; sustainability; consumer health [PERSON]  
[PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON] et al. (2020) Feeding Cows with Olive Cake Enriched in Polypphenols Improves the Sustainability and Enhances the Nutrition and Organoleptic Features of Fresh Caciocavallo Cheese. Fads 2024 13, 3320. [[https://doi.org/10.3390/foods1203320](https://doi.org/10.3390/foods1203320)]([https://doi.org/10.3390/foods1203320](https://doi.org/10.3390/foods1203320))  
14 September 202410 October 202414 October 202418 October 202  
use of by-products can give added value to the final product: for example, [PERSON] et al. [12] have recently observed a significant increase in monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and a decrease in saturated fatty acid (SFA) in the milk of cows fed with olive cake enriched with polyphenols. Furthermore, the addition of olive polyphenols in the diet may modify the microbiological profile of cheese as reported by [PERSON] et al. [13], which, after olive cake supplementation in dairy cows' diet, showed an improvement in the microbiological quality of cheese.  
Cacioocavallo Ragusano is a traditional cheese produced in Sicily, with a production in 2023 of 199 tons and an export amounting to 1,637,550 kg [1], made with a traditional manufacturing process (e.g., using traditional wood tools), where the fermentation is driven by indigenous LAB, which arises from raw milk, a biofilm present on the inner surface of the vats, and the environment [14]. In this context, fed supplementation with olive cake could represent a promising strategy to improve both the sustainability of Ragusano cheesemaking and quality of the traditional cheese, making it more enjoyable for consumers. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the nutritional value, microbiological profiles, sensory features, and volatile aroma compounds of Caciocavallo Ragusano produced with milk obtained from cows fed with olive cake enriched in polyphenols (ECO).