Fatty acid composition of beef, pork, and poultry fresh cuts, and some of their processed products

Numerous researchers have shown that dietary fats and oils may affect blood lipid levels and the development of cardiovascular diseases, but consumers are receiving mixed messages about the percentage of fat they should consume in their diets, and they can make proper food choices only when they have the right information. Fatty acid profiles of the meat food products in the Venezuelan diet were determined. Methyl esters were analyzed by gas chromatography on a PT 10% Silar-10C on Gas-Chrom Q 100/120 mesh column. Beef cuts presented a predominant presence of oleic acid (36.21%), palmitic (25.67%) and stearic (20.97). Oleic and palmitic acids are present in pork meat at 42.83 and 24.15% respectively; with lesser quantities of stearic and higher amounts of linoleic acid than beef. Poultry products showed a high content of linoleic (19.54%) and low content of stearic (8.22%) acids. Pork, poultry products, and beef liver presented a considerable amount of linoleic acid 11.85%, 19.54%, and 12.09%, respectively.