At line prediction of PUFA and biohydrogenation intermediates in perirenal and subcutaneous fat from cattle fed sunflower or flaxseed by near infrared spectroscopy

NIRS potential to estimate the proportion of PUFA and their biohydrogenation products in adipose tissues from cattle fed sunflower or flaxseed was tested. Immediately after skinning, perirenal and subcutaneous fat samples from 63 steers were collected, scanned intact at 37 °C and 33 °C, respectively, over a NIR spectral range from 400 to 2498 nm using benchtop equipment and then analyzed for fatty acid composition. NIRS calibrations in perirenal fat showed high predictability for total and major omega − 6 and omega − 3, conjugated linolenic acids, t,t-conjugated linoleic acids (CLA), non-CLA dienes and trans-monounsaturated fatty acids, with R2 (RMSECV, %) of 0.88-0.89 (0.16-0.20), 0.89-0.91 (0.07-0.08), 0.86-0.89 (0.01-0.09), 0.82 (0.07), 0.89 (0.46) and 0.86-0.88 (0.87-1.29), respectively. NIRS predictions in subcutaneous fat were less reliable, probably due to lower fatty acid variability. The results show NIRS to be a useful technique for the early, fast and relatively inexpensive estimation of proportions of fatty acids with potential human health effects in cattle perirenal fat.

► NIRS was tested to predict PUFA biohydrogenation products in steers adipose tissues. ► NIRS estimated successfully fatty acids beneficial to human health in perirenal fat. ► Perirenal fat samples were discriminated by their vaccenic acid proportion by NIRS. ► NIRS predictions for fatty acids proportion in subcutaneous fat were less reliable.