Proximate Composition and Fatty Acid Profile in Brazilian Poultry Sausages

Moisture, protein, ash, cholesterol and lipid contents, as well as the fatty acids composition of turkey, Chester^®, chicken and common-type sausages from main Brazilian brands were determined. Analyses of cholesterol and fatty acids methyl esters were made by capillary gas chromatography. Sausages presented a lipid content between 4% (turkey) and 17% (common-type sausages). The cholesterol content was 44 for Chester^®and chicken, 46 for turkey and 51 for common-type sausages (mg/100 g). Most of the fatty acids were monounsaturated, having the oleic acid as its major component, with values between 38% (turkey) and 43% (common-type sausages). Saturated fatty acids followed, having the palmitic acid as its major component, in a range of 24–25%, values found for common-type and chicken sausage, respectively. Polyunsaturated fatty acids were present in smaller amounts, with a linoleic acid concentration between 10% (chicken sausage) and 14% (turkey sausage). Turkey and chicken sausages presented a higher content of polyunsaturated fatty acids than the Chester^®and common sausages, which presented a low saturated fatty acids content.