Relationships between dietary fatty acid composition and either melting point or fatty acid profile of adipose tissue in broilers

Data on the fatty acid composition of the diet and that of the adipose tissue in broilers were collected from the literature. The linear regression between the dietary and the adipose tissue unsaturated to saturated fatty acids ratio (U/S ratio) was calculated because the U/S ratio of adipose tissue fat determines its melting point, which is an indicator of the consistency of poultry fat. For 54 data points from three different experiments, the linear correlation coefficient of the relationship between dietary and adipose tissue U/S ratio was 0.77. The regression equation for linoleic acid in adipose tissue as a function of dietary linoleic acid was calculated. The linoleic acid content of adipose tissue was expressed as weight percentage of total fatty acids. Intake was expressed as either weight percentage of total fatty acids or as energy percentage of total dietary metabolizable energy. The linear correlation coefficients were 0.68 and 0.78 as based on 116 or 91 data points from 15 or 12 different experiments. Significant correlations were also found for alpha-linolenic acid. The linoleic acid content of adipose tissue was found to be correlated (r = 0.87) for 25 data points with that in consumable broiler meat, which may affect serum cholesterol concentrations in humans. With the help of the regression formulas presented it may be possible to formulate broiler diets in relation to consumer health and product quality. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.