EFFECT OF FAT-ENRICHED DIETS ON RABBIT MEAT FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION

The effects of beef tallow-, soya and sunflower olein- and soya bean o il-enriched (3%) diets on the chemical and fatty acid composition of t otal, apolar and polar lipids of rabbit meat have been studied. No sig nificant differences (P > 0-05) in the meat chemical composition were observed between groups. However, a large effect of the diet on the to tal and apolar lipid fatty acids was found, with C18:1 and C18:2 the m ost affected fatty acids. The influence of the diets on the fatty acid s of the polar fraction was less marked. It is concluded that the enri chment of the rabbit diet with either soya and sunflower oleins or soy a bean oil allows the production of rabbit meat with a higher unsatura tion degree than is obtained by using conventional diets. which consti tutes an important nutritional benefit to the human being.