Unsaponifiable fraction and n-alkane profile of subcutaneous fat from Iberian ham / Fracción insaponificable y perfil de los n-alcanos de la grasa subcutánea del jamón Ibérico

The unsaponifiable fraction of subcutaneous fat of dry-cured Iberian hams from pigs fed on different systems during the finishing-fattening period and its feasibility as a method for classifying the hams according to the pigs' feeding background are studied. Unsaponifiable fraction and n-alkane content of subcutaneous fat from ten dry cured hams from Iberian x Duroc pigs raised on two different man agement systems ( Montanera, fed extensively on acorns and pasture, and Pienso, fed on a concentrate diet) are analyzed. The proportion of unsaponifiable material and n-alkanes [pentadecane (n-C15), heptadecane (n-C17), octadecane (n-C18), nonadecane (n-C19), eicosane (n-C20) and pentacosane (n-C25)] were higher ( P < 0.05) in hams from pigs raised under extensive conditions than in those from pigs receiving concentrate feeds. The unsaponifiable fraction assay of the fat from dry-cured Iberian hams is a promising technique for classifying hams based on the pigs' feeding background.

Presence of cholesterol in the neutral lipids of three sheep cestodes

ABSTRACTThe adult worms of Stilesia globipunctata, Avitellina centripunctata and Moniezia expansa with immature, mature and gravid proglottids and having almost the same length were collected simultaneously from the sheep intestine. Neutral lipid concentration is about 2.2, 1.24 and 18.4% of the dried worm tissue respectively. Cholesterol is 87.8, 85.7 and 88.0% of the unsaponifiable material respectively.

Fate of 14C-phytoI Administered Orally to Sheep

The metabolism of phytol was investigated in 12 sheep, each given a single oral dose of 14C-phytol. In the unsaponifiable material of abomasum liquor or liver tissue. 14C-phytol radioactivity was recovered unchanged as the administered compound or as an unidentified metabolite of phytol. Most of the radioactivity in the saponifiable material of tissues, after esterification. occurred in the methyl ester of phytanic acid. A portion of the phytol occurring in the rumen lumen was converted to phytanic acid.

Endogenous excretion and intestinal capacity for absorption of cholesterol in the dog

Using five dogs weighing an average of 13.9 kg and fed a sterol, fat free diet, it was found that the fecal excretion of digitonin-precipitable sterol amounted to an average of 138 mg/day. The addition of oleic acid (6% by weight) to the diet did not significantly change the endogenous excretion. The average intestinal capacity to absorb exogenous cholesterol of the group of dogs, ranging in weight from 10.7 to 18 kg, was 1.05 g of cholesterol per day. When cholesterol-4-C14 was given orally as one dose under the above dietary conditions and the feces collected for 8 days and fractionated, and the radioactivity of each fraction determined, it was found that the non-95% ethanol residue contained only a trace, the unsaponifiable material (UM) 29%, the saponifiable material (SM) 17.7% of the C14 administered. Of the radioactivity in the UM, 80% was digitonin precipitable. In 8 days 46.7% of the administered C14 was recovered. These results are similar to those obtained on the rat.

The Lipids of Sea-Urchin Semen

1. The specimen of sea-urchin semen examined contained 0.95% lipid material consisting of 13.6% neutral fat, 32.9% free fatty acids, 26.0% phospholipids, 9.2% sterols and 18.3% other unsaponifiable material. 2. The component fatty acids of the non-phosphorus-containing lipids have been computed to be: palmitic 10.1, unsaturated C16 2.1 (-3.0), C18 30.4 (-4.9), C20 45.1 (-7.0), C22 12.3 (-6.5)%, w/w, this being a composition which can be regarded as typical of a marine animal fat. 3. The N : P ratio of the phospholipids indicated the presence of mono- and diaminophosphatides and possibly the presence of non-phosphorus-containing lipoproteins. 4. Adequate reserves of non-phosphorus-containing lipids are present in the spermatozoa, in addition to phospholipids to serve as a source of energy required for movement.