Long‐chain omega‐3 fatty acids in red meat

Abstract

† Newly introduced Nutrient Reference Values indicate thatmost Australians need to increase their dietary intake ofthe long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LComega-3 PUFA), viz. eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosa-pentaenoic acid (DPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA),to reduce the risk of chronic disease.† Analysis of the 1995 National Nutrition Survey revealedthat meat contributed almost as much as seafood to the LComega-3 PUFA intake of adult Australians.† Meat has a relatively high content of DPA, relative to EPAand DHA. Thus DPA accounts for 29% of the average LComega-3 PUFA intake of adult Australians.† Recent evidence suggests that DPA is just as important asEPA or DHA for delivering the health benefits associatedwith LC omega-3 PUFA.† Current regulations, however, do not take account of theDPA content of foods in determining whether they qualifyfor an omega-3 content claim. Moreover, the DPA contentof foods will not be considered in a proposed general levelomega-3 health claim.† Lean red meat is an important natural food source of LComega-3 PUFA, the content of which can be influenced bymodifying the composition of livestock feeds.