Influence of two different dietary fats on the composition of emu oil and meat
Date
1998
Authors
Beckerbauer, Lois M.
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Beitz, Donald C.
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Abstract
The goal of this research was to characterize the chemical composition of emu oil in order toprovide an explanation for alleged medicinal properties of the oil and to test whether two sources of dietary fat affect composition of emu oil and meat. Twenty-four emus, 12 female and 12 male,were fed two diets, one containing soybean oil and the other containing beef tallow, from the age of 8 months until slaughter at approximately 35 kilograms of body weight. The fatty acid composition and phospholipid, sterol, and DHEA/DHEAS contents of oil rendered from subcutaneous and retroperitoneal adipose tissues were determined. Adipose cellularity also was determined. Five different cuts of meat were used to determine the lipid and cholesterol contents of emu meat. Fatty acid composition of the fan cut of meat was determined. Soybean oil fed-emus had a greater percentage of linoleic and linolenic acids in their oil.
The beef tallow fed-emus had a greater percentage of palmitic acid from the retroperitoneal adipose tissue. Females had less palmitic acid in the oil from the subcutaneous adipose tissue. No phospholipids were detected. The only sterol found in the oil was cholesterol, which was present at 29.3 milligrams per 100 grams of subcutaneous adipose tissue and 41.2 milligrams per 100 grams of retroperitoneal adipose tissue. Concentrations of DHEA and DHEAS were not affected by diet, but the female emus had more DHEA. Males emus had larger adipocytes and fewer cells per gram of tissue. The retroperitoneal adipose tissue had larger cells than did the subcutaneous adipose tissue. Emu meat was relatively low in fat (2.2 percent) and cholesterol (32.2 milligrams per 100 grams tissue).
The regular cut of meat had the highest percentage of fat, and the fan cut had the most cholesterol. Diet and gender did not affect the fatty acid composition, cholesterol concentration, or percentage of lipid in the meat. In conclusion, the fatty acid composition of emu oil, but not emu meat, depends on the gender of the emu, source of dietary fat, and the anatomical site of the adipose tissue from which the oil is derived.
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thesis