Effect of muscle anatomical location on fatty acid composition of beaver (Castor fiber) females

Abstract

Ten beaver (Castor fiber) females were used in the experiment. The samples were excised from a different anatomical location of each beaver carcass used in the study: m. longissimus dorsi (LD), m. triceps brachii (shoulder), m. biceps femoris (thigh). Thigh muscles were characterized by the highest percentage of free fat followed by longissimus muscle and shoulder. The total proportions of saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA), including many individual fatty acids, were affected by the muscle anatomical location. The fattiest thigh had the most favourable and highest PUFA/SFA, hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic (h/H) and lowest n-6/n-3 PUFA ratios, and the lowest thrombogenic index. Despite the fact that the leanest m. triceps brachii had the highest proportions of total polyunsaturated fatty acids, the n-6/n-3PUFA ratio was the lowest compared with the muscles from other anatomical locations and showed lower atherogenic index compared with a more fatty longissimus muscle.