Effect of anatomical location on the composition of fatty acids in double-muscled Belgian Blue cows

Abstract

Double-muscled cows of the Belgian Blue breed, ranging from ca. 680 to 880 kg live weight were slaughtered and various fat depots sampled for lipid analysis. Subcutaneous fat (SCF), intermuscular fat in m. serratus (IMF1) and m. transversalis (IMF2), kidney fat (KF) and intramuscular fat in m. longissimus thoracis (IMF3) were sampled. In IMF3 samples, polar lipids were separated from other lipid classes by thin layer chromatography. Both the proportions ( w w %) and gravimetric concentrations (mg g −1 of sample) of long-chain fatty acids were determined in total lipids of SCF, IMF1, IMF2, KF and in lipid classes of IMF3 by gas chromatography. The greatest concentration of total fatty acids was found in KF (777.6 ± 82.6 mg g −1), followed by SCF (721.3 ± 92.2 mg g −1), IMF2 (709.8 ± 72.5 mg g −1) and IMF1 (682.1 ± 71.6 mg g −1). Triacylglycerol and polar lipid fatty acid content of m. longissimus thoracis (IMF3) were respectively 8.1 ± 3.3 and 3.1 ± 0.6 mg g −1. Fatty acid content, particularly the triacylglycerol fatty acid content in IMF3, increased ( p < 0.01) with increasing carcass fat content. Polar lipid fatty acids in IMF3 contained a higher proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (32.6 ± 4.8 %) and lower proportion of saturated fatty acids (27.4 ± 5.0%) compared to the triacylglycerol fatty acid fraction ( p < 0.01), which may reflect a prerequisite for proper membrane functioning. Internal fat depots were more saturated ( p < 0.01) compared to SCF. The proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids differed ( p < 0.01) between IMF1 and IMF2, possibly reflecting differences in muscle activity and functioning. Oleic (C18:1) and stearic (C18:0) acids comprised more than 60% of the total fatty acids in all anatomical locations.