Distribution of Fatty Acids in Milk Fat Fractions

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Abstract
Cow milk fat tri-glycerides were fractionated by low-temperature crystallization from pentane, and the filtrate was further separated by counter current distribution (CCD). Representative fractions were analyzed for fatty acid composition by gas chromatography. Long-chain triglycerides migrated early in CCD and contained comparatively large amounts of C18. 1 acid, which was associated predominantly with C16:0 and C18:0 acids in the glycerides. Short-chain triglycerides migrated later in CCD, and as their short-chain acid content increased there was a concurrent decrease in C18:1. Fractions representatives of the short- and long-chain tri-glyceride groups were studied by lipase hydrolysis, and the proportion of the total amounts of each fatty acid esterified at the 2-position was calculated. Most of the major fatty acids are distributed nonrandomly in milk fat.