GC Analysis of the Fatty Acid Composition of Yak Kidney

To obtain valuable information for development of potential commercial products from yak kidney, which is usually treated as waste, the fatty acid composition of kidneys from yak reared in Gansu province, China, was investigated by gas chromatography. Fifteen different fatty acids were identified. The major fatty acids are oleic acid (33.3%), stearic acid (20.2%), and palmitic acid (18.4%). More interestingly, several important and essential fatty acids were also identified, including conjugated linoleic acid (2.94%), omega-3 fatty acids, for example docosahexaenoic acid (1.47%), eicosapentaenoic acid (1.11%) and alpha linolenic acid (0.37%), and omega-6 fatty acids, for example arachidonic acid (2.86%) and linoleic acid (1.98%). The results show that the fatty acid composition of yak kidney is of reasonable value and is suitable for further development of possible commercial products. This is the first report of the fatty acid profile of yak kidney.