Triglyceride analysis by gas chromatography in assessment of authenticity of goat milk fat

The triglyceride (TG) composition of 35 samples of milk collected at differ ent times of year from five herds of goats was analyzed using short capilla ry column-gas chromatography. The distribution of TC in goat milk fat was u nimodal, peaking at C-40 (12.6%); the sum of TC from C-38 to C-44 accounted for about 50%, whereas the three classes of TC from C-48 to C-52 did not e xceed 6% each. These results were compared with the corresponding data for cow milk fat. Significant differences between herds were observed, mainly i n long-chain TG. To detect foreign fats in goat milk fat, two multiple regr ession equations based on TG content of the goat milk fat were proposed. An alysis of known mixtures of tallow, palm oil, and cow milk fat with goat mi lk fat have experimentally confirmed the accuracy of the equations.