AMOUNTS OF TRANS-FATTY-ACIDS IN FOODS

The fatty acid composition of the fat in 197 food samples has been analyzed by gas liquid chromatography. The use of a 30 m capillary column coated with CP(TM)Sil88 permitted the separation of the cis and trans isomers. The trans fatty acid content of milk and milk products ranged from 1.9 to 7.9%. Meat samples from ruminants contained 2.0-10.6% trans fatty acids. In pork fat the amounts were less than 0.5%. Sausages and other meat products contained high levels of pork fat. Therefore these samples contained less than 1% trans fatty acids, with the exception of some pure beef products. The amounts of trans fatty acids in foods which may contain hydrogenated oils ranged from 0 to 34.9%. In food samples with high levels of trans fatty acids lower contents of saturated fatty acids were analyzed.