Fatty acids stable carbon isotope fractionation in the bovine organism. A compound-specific isotope analysis through gas chromatography combustion isotope ratio mass spectrometry

The contribution of dietary fatty acids to the quality of the meat and their path through the bovine organism is currently the subject of a lot of research. Stable isotope ratio analysis represents a powerful tool for this aim, one that has not been studied in depth yet. In this work, for the first time, the carbon isotopic ratios of six fatty acids (myristic 14:0, palmitic 16:0, stearic 18:0, oleic 18:1n-9, linoleic 18:2n-6 and linolenic 18:3n-3 acids) in different matrixes (diet, rumen, duodenal content, liver and loin) were analysed through gas chromatography combustion isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Moreover, the quantification of the single fatty acids was carried out, providing important information supporting the carbon isotopic ratio results. The variation in the concentration of the fatty acids in the different matrices depends on the chemical modifications they undergo in the sequential steps of the metabolic path. GC-CIRMS turned out to be a powerful tool to investigate the fate of dietary fatty acids, providing information about the processes they undergo inside the bovine organism. (c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Dietary fatty acids play a key role in meat quality, and stable isotope ratio analysis serves as a powerful tool, with gas chromatography combustion isotope ratio mass spectrometry being an effective method. The concentration variation of compounds in different matrices depends on their chemical modifications in metabolic pathways.