Evaluation of cis and trans fatty acid profiles in a Camel's hump and meat consumed in Birjand and Nehbandan cities

Studies in the recent decade indicate that a high percent of cis and trans –fatty acids and omega 6 in man’s food sources increase the incidence of cardiovascular and atherosclerosis diseases One of animal protein sources used in human diet is the camel meat. Therefore، fatty acid profiles of the camel hump and meat in Birjand and Nehbandan cities، as two main camel meat sources of the South Khorasan province، were evaluated.

In this descriptive-analytical study، 5 samples of local camels were randomly selected، and after being slaughtered، five samples of their respective thigh meat، fillet<، and hump fat were collected and frozen at 80oc. Then، the oils were separated and methylated. After this، the type of each fatty acid was designated in comparison with retention time at the internal standard peak. Finally، the obtained data was analysed using SAS statistical software.

It was found that the amount of lauric، meristic، meristoleic، palemitoleic ''cis and trans''، oleic، linoleic، linolenic، eicosaenoeic، eicosatrienoic، arashidonic، eicosapentaenoic، docosapentaenoic acids SFA، and MUFA of Omega 6 were not significantly different in the two cities، nor in the hump and meat of camels in the two places. The amount of palmitic، strearic، conjugated linoleic acid، eicosamonoenoic، eicosadienoic and docosahexaenoic acids were significantly different between hump and types of meat mentioned in different areas of the province; i. e. the amount of trans fatty acids was less in the hump، but totally more in Nehbandan compared to Birjand (P<0. 05).

Although there is no difference in the total amount of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids derived from the camel meat or hump in the two areas، the amount was less in the hump of the camel; and also lower in Birjand. Therefore، it is probable that the camel''s products in Birjand have a better quality regarding the incidence of atherosclerosis.