Fatty acid composition of water buffalo meat.

The fatty acid composition of intramuscular lipids of Longissimus dorsi (LD), Psoas major (PM), Biceps femoris (BF), Semitendinosus (ST) muscles and liver of water buffalo male calves was determined by capillary gas-liquid chromatography. The content of total lipids in the LD muscle was found to be maximum, followed by PM, BF and ST in decreasing order (1·03, 0·99, 0·66 and 0·55g/100g of fresh muscle). Liver contained 2·65 g of total lipids per 100 g of fresh tissue. Following the anatomical location, intramuscular lipids contained 44-55% of saturated fatty acids, of which the major components were stearic and palmitic acids. Mono-unsaturated fatty acids (31-40%) composed mainly oleic acid (90%). The PUFA contents in PM, LD, ST and BF were, respectively, 11%, 12%, 13% and 16%. The predominant PUFA were linoleic (66%) and arachidonic (25%). The significance of difference of PUFA content between muscles is discussed. Liver contained 48%, 27% and 22% saturated, monosaturated and PUFA, respectively. The PUFA in liver were linoleic (36%), C20 (47%) and C22 (9%).