Fatty Acid Composition of Meat Animals as Flavor Precursors

This article provides an overview of fatty acids in meat, their variation among animal species, and the roles as flavor precursors. Animal fat mostly consists triglycerides phospholipids. Fats from ruminant (cattle, sheep, goats) monogastric (pigs horses) animals have similar with more saturated monounsaturated than polyunsaturated acids. In animals, muscle reflect composition diets, whereas are because biohydrogenation rumen. Lipid- derived compounds formed thermal oxidation during cooking, producing desirable aromatic autoxidation. Monounsaturated such oleic acid linoleic meat produce various volatile contributing to cooked aromas. Under most cooking conditions, lipid-derived usually predominant. However, these greater thresholds those water-soluble compounds, Maillard reaction products. The interactions between lipid products important for development originally thought. Moreover, fat-derived provide notes indicative species identification.