Comparative assessment of fatty acid composition and nutritional indices (ai, ti, hh, ω-6/ω-3) of meat available on the Kazakhstani market

This study presents the results of a comprehensive comparative analysis of the fatty acid composition of six meat types (horse, beef, lamb, pork, maral, and camel meats). Gas chromatography was employed to establish the complete fatty acid profile and to calculate key nutritional quality indices, including the ω-6/ω-3 ratio, atherogenic index (AI), thrombogenic index (TI), and hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio (HH). The results identified beef and horse meat as exhibiting the most favorable fatty acid profile and nutritional quality, characterized by the lowest AI and TI values. Maral meat was distinguished as a unique dietary source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) among the meat types analyzed. Lamb showed the highest proportion of saturated fatty acids, whereas pork demonstrated a pronounced imbalance in the ω-6/ω-3 ratio. Meat from ruminant species (beef, lamb, maral, and camel) was found to consistently contain trans fatty acid isomers, specifically octadecenoic acid (C18:1 trans-9) and linolelaidic acid (C18:2n-6t), which originate from ruminal biohydrogenation processes. The presence of these trans isomers represents a natural, species-specific characteristic of ruminant fat and clearly differentiates it from the fat of non-ruminant animals (pork). Overall, the findings emphasize the predominance of fatty acid quality over total fat content and provide a scientific basis for evidence-based selection of meat products in human nutrition.