Research regarding changes in chemical composition of animal fats during freezing storage

Abstract

In this article the chemical composition of 2 types of animal fats (pork fat and buffalo tallow) following the variation of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids proportion during freezing storage was studied. Determination of the chemical composition of animal fats is important in establishing organoleptic and physico-chemical parameters, their variation in time, nature and proportion of fatty acids providing them with specific characteristics. For pork fat the following chemical components was determined: saturated fatty acids 48.32% (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acids 36.78% (MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids 14.89% (PUFA). After 4 months of storage under freezing there was a change in fatty acids proportion; saturated fatty acid content increased slightly to 48.83%, monounsaturated fatty acids content decreased to 35.99%, and polyunsaturated fatty acids content decreased to 13.18% due to the oxidation process when the degree of unsaturation decreased due to unsaturated fatty acids oxidation, pork fat presenting the most profound changes. In the case of buffalo tallow, there was an increasing of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids content and a decreasing of polyunsaturated fatty acids content.