FATTY ACIDS PROFILE OF THE DROMEDARY HUMP FAT IN ALGERIA

The fatty acid composition of hump fat stemming from 43 Algerian camels (Camelus dromedarius), 1 to 13 years old, both sexes, belonging to Sahraoui and Tergui breeds, was determined. Saturated fatty acids (SFA) represented 64.4% (weight basis) of total fatty acids, while the monounsaturated (MFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fractions accounted for 33.1 and 2.5%, respectively. The main saturated fatty acids, namely palmitic and stearic acids represented 49.6% and 38.8 % of SFA (31.5% and 25.5% of total fatty acids). Unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) were mainly represented by oleic acid, 78.1% of MFA (25.9% of total fatty acids), linoleic acid which accounted for 88.5% of omega 6 (1.17% of total fatty acids) and linolenic acid accounting for 63.9% of ω3 (0.42% out of total fatty acids). SFA/PUFA was 0.039 and ω6/ω3, 2.81. The levels of fatty acids, SFA and MFA were significantly higher in females, while the contents in ω6, ω3, CLA, PUFA, as well as the PUFA / SFA and ω6/ω3 ratio were comparable in relation to both sexes. When reported to the breeds, the contents in MFA, PUFA and ω6 was higher in Sahraoui, as the ω6/ω3 ratio was. The percentage of SFA, however, was higher in Tergui.