Lipids and fatty acids in roasted chickens

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Nutritional Biochemistry

Background:

• Understanding the lipid composition of poultry is crucial for nutritional assessment and food product development.
• Roasted chicken is a widely consumed protein source, making its nutritional profile of significant interest.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify total lipid content and analyze fatty acid profiles in various parts of roasted chicken.
• To determine the impact of skin presence on lipid content and the ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to saturated fatty acids (SFA).

Main Methods:

• Lipid extraction using chloroform and methanol from different chicken portions (breast, thigh, wing, side, back) with and without skin.
• Gravimetric determination of total lipids.
• Fatty acid analysis of methyl esters via gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector and capillary column.

Main Results:

• The primary fatty acids identified were palmitic acid (C16:0), oleic acid (C18:1 omega 9), and linoleic acid (C18:2 omega 6).
• The average ratio of PUFA to SFA was approximately 0.98, largely influenced by a high concentration of linoleic acid (26.75%).
• Skinless breast had the lowest lipid content (0.78 g/100 g), while chicken back with skin had the highest (12.13 g/100 g), with pure skin containing 26.54 g/100 g lipids.

Conclusions:

• Chicken skin significantly contributes to the overall lipid content of roasted chicken.
• The fatty acid profile indicates a balanced ratio of PUFA to SFA in the analyzed chicken parts.
• Variations in lipid content exist across different chicken parts, with and without skin.