Fifteen samples of the most common industrial bakery products sold in Spain
were analyzed for their fatty acid composition. Saturated fatty acids occu
rred in the largest proportions in all samples (mean = 52.8%), followed by
monounsaturated (mean = 23.5%) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (mean = 17.2
%). A small percentage of trans fatty acids, which were found in all sample
s, showed a mean value of 5.7%. According to their fatty acid composition,
that is, their saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acid c
ontents, the statistical analysis (discriminant analysis) showed three grou
ps of samples, suggesting that the fat incorporated in these samples was ob
tained from different sources.