Molecular prediction of the triglycerides of sheep milk fat by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.

115 individual peaks were obtained by high-performance liquid chromatograph y of the sheep milk fat. Triglyceride components of the chromatographic pea ks were predicted by means of mathematical equations relationing the log k' of the chromatographic peaks to the molecular Variables, equivalent carbon number (ECN) of the possible triglycerides, and chain length (CL) and numb er of double bounds (DB) of each of the fatty acids of the triglyceride. Th e 12 main fatty acids obtained by gas chromatography of the total triglycer ide fraction were used to estimate the triglyceride composition of the shee p milk fat. The triglycerides presenting high random percentages were considered the pr incipal molecular species when more than one triglyceride were predicted in a chromatographic peak. The main estimated triglycerides of the sheep milk fat were C-4:0-C-16:0-C-16:0, C-6:0-C-14:0-C-16:0, C-4:0-C-14:0-C-16:0, C- 4:0-C-16:0-C-18:1 and C-6:0-C-14:0-C-18:1.