The Free Fatty Acids of Cod Oil: 1. Anomalous Composition by Fatty Acid Chain Length

Abstract

Discrepancies have been noted in the relative proportions of certain fatty acid components of the free fatty acids of cod oil, compared to the composition of the neutral fraction. These have been studied quantitatively through gas–liquid chromatographic chain-length analyses of the hydrogenated methyl esters of the fractions. It is suggested that specific enzyme and bacterial actions may be responsible.