Fatty acid contents of certain processed foods

Summary Fatty acid constituents of two cheeses, four cured meats, and two hydrogenated oils were determined; two sets of data were obtained for each sample. Unsaturated acids were determined spectrophotometrically in the total fatty acids prepared from each fat, and saturated and unsaturated components were determined chemically and spectrophotometrically on each fraction obtained from distilling the methyl esters prepared from the fats. Close agreement was obtained between the percentages of unsaturated components found in distilled and non-distilled samples. Methyl esters of cheese fats were prepared without prior distillation of steam-volatile acids; no separation of saturated and unsaturated components was made on any sample. Fatty acid components were also converted to percent of each fatty acid in each food. This research was supported in part by the U. S. Department of Agriculture through a contract sponsored by the Bureau of Human Nutrition and Home Economics.