Comparative study in chemical character and fatty acid compositions of masked civet’s fat and nutria’s oil

Abstract

The fat production rate in adult healthy masked civet(Paguma lavata) and nutria (Myocaster coypus) oil were measured. The values of iodine, saponification and acid pH, composition of fatty acids of grease were analyzed both chemically and by apparatus. The results showed that acid pH, iodine value, saponification value, and unsaturation point are 1.887 and 0.784, 53.90 and 48.32, 98.80 and 100.23, and 60.05% and 58.85% are respectively for masked civet’s fat and nutria’s oil. Both of masked civet’s fat and nutria’s oil contain a little of Eicosatetraenoic acid (C-20∶4), which is of great significance in nutrition and metabolism for human body. The analysis results indicate that masked civet’s oil is similar to nutria’s oil in iodine value, saponification value and unsaturation point. Both masked civet’s fat and nutria’s oil are steady and have highly nutrition. They can be widely exploited and utilized in health protection and cosmetics made industry.

Keywords

Masked civet, fat / Nutria, oil / Chemical character / Unsaturation point