The component acids and glycerides of some Indian ox depot fats

Abstract

AN investigation of four specimens of depot fats from oxen from three widely sep&rated districts in India has disclosed considerable differences between their composition and that of corresponding fats from English, American or Australian cattle. The Indian ox depot fats are relatively much less unsaturated (i.v. 26-31 as compared with 40-50) whilst the content of palmitic acid, in three out of the four instances examined, approaches 40 % (mol.) of the total fatty acids (instead of the more usual 30 + 3 %). In addition to component acid determinations on eich of the fats, the component glycerides of the two fats with the highest and lowest contents of palmitic acid have therefore been studied by the proceduTe applied to an English ox depot fat by Hilditch & Paul [1938].