Nutrient Content of Variety Meats. III. Fatty Acid Composition of Lipids of Certain Raw and Cooked Variety Meats a

SUMMARY The fatty acid distribution in the lipids from certain raw and cooked variety meats was determined with gas‐liquid chromatography. The method of cooking utilized moist heat (braising) in all cases. Fatty acid distribution was not significantly changed by cooking. Beef kidney, beef and pork liver, and beef heart fatty acids contained 25‐36% of polyunsaturated fatty acid:. Distributions of the major fatty acids (as percent of total fatty acid) were generally as follows. Beef kidney: palmitic acid, 17; stearic acid, 19; oleic acid, 21; linoleic acid, 19; and arachidonic acid, 14. Beef liver: palmitic acid, 13; stearic acid, 34; oleic acid, 14; linoleic acid, 11; arachidonic acid, 7; and docosahexaenoic acid (C 22 ‐hexaene), 6. Pork liver: palmitic acid, 21; stearic acid, 26; oleic acid, 22; linoleic acid, 13; and arachidonic acid, 12. Beef heart: palmitic acid, 13; stearic acid, 17; oleic acid, 18; linoleic acid, 25; and arachidonic acid, 11. Beef tongue: palmitic acid, 28; stearic acid, 11; oleic acid, 44; linoleic acid, 4; and arachidonic acid, 2. These results indicate that certain of the variety meats may be excellent sources of polyunsaturated fatty, acids. Pork and beef liver differed significantly in docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid content.