Heptadecanoic acid as an indicator of BCFA content in sheep fat

Peter J Watkins; Damian Frank

doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2019.01.005

Heptadecanoic acid as an indicator of BCFA content in sheep fat

Meat Sci. 2019 May:151:33-35. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2019.01.005. Epub 2019 Jan 17.

Authors

Peter J Watkins¹, Damian Frank²

Affiliations

¹ Commonwealth Scientific Industry Research Organisation, 671 Sneydes Road, Werribees, VIC 3030, Australia. Electronic address: peter.watkins@csiro.au.
² Commonwealth Scientific Industry Research Organisation, 11 Julius Ave, North Ryde, NSW 2113, Australia.

PMID: 30684848
DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2019.01.005

Abstract

Branched chain fatty acids (BCFAs) are associated with 'mutton flavour' found in cooked sheep meat aroma. Three BCFAs, 4-methyloctanoic (MOA), 4-ethyloctanoic (EOA) and 4-methylnonanoic (MNA) acids, have been implicated as the main compounds responsible for 'mutton flavour'. Animal age can also contribute to increasing BCFA concentration. Heptadecanoic acid (C17:0 FA) also increases with animal age in sheep. Using published data, a linear association has been found to exist between C17:0 FA with MOA and MNA in sheep fat, with C17:0 FA increasing proportionally with these two compounds. No association was found between C17:0 FA and EOA. As C17:0 FA is present in sheep fat in relatively higher proportions compared to BCFAs, it has potential to be used as a proxy for MOA and MOA as well as 'mutton flavour'.

MeSH terms

Adipose Tissue / chemistry*
Aging
Animals
Cooking
Fatty Acids / analysis*
Red Meat / analysis*
Sheep
Taste

Substances

Fatty Acids
margaric acid