The Chemical Composition and the Content of Macro- and Microelements in the Subproducts of Domesticated Reindeer in Yakutia

Abstract

For the indigenous minorities of the far North, venison is the main environmentally safe food product. The study was aimed at determining the chemical composition, the weight, and the content of macro- and microelements in the subproducts of domesticated reindeer in Yakutia for further production of composite and functional food products, following the current ecological situation in the region. The subproducts of domesticated reindeer of the Chukchi and Evenki breeds are distinguished by the weight of the liver, the kidneys, the stomach, and the intestines; with that, the weight of subproducts in males was higher than in females. The comparatively high relative weight of internal organs in the reindeer of the Chukchi breed is associated with the better development of viability in the adverse conditions of the tundra habitat. Differences are observed within the content of nutrients in the subproducts in various age groups (females, males, and calves); this difference in the content of protein and fat is associated with the age-related feeding habits and the accumulation of nutrients in the organism of the deer. For instance, calves in this period feed on mother's milk; besides, the growing organism of a calf accumulates additional nutrients. The heart and the spleen of calves contain more macroelements (Ca, P, Mg, K, Na, and Cl) than those of male and female deer, while the kidneys, on the contrary, contain less macroelements. The content of microelements (Se, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, and F) in the heart and the spleen of calves is higher, and in the liver and the kidneys, it is lower.