The component acids and glycerides of Indian crocodile (Gavialis gangeticus) fat

Abstract

The fatty acid composition of a crocodile depot‐fat, determined by the usual esterfractionation method, with an electrically heated and packed column, is recorded. The glyceride structure was studied by crystallization of the neutral fat from acetone at room temperature and lower (−18°). The composition of each of the three fractions, thus obtained, was studied separately by the fractionation method, and the final glyceride composition computed therefrom is also given. The component saturated acids are palmitic (25.8%), stearic (8.7%), myristic (4.2%) and lauric (0.2%), and unsaturated acids are C14 (2.0%), C16 (11.6%), C18 (35.5%). C20 (10.0%) and minor proportions of C2 (2.0%). The component glycerides are: (I) fully saturated 7.5%, (II) mono‐unsaturated‐disaturated 27.7%, (III) diunsaturated‐monosaturated 64.8%. Copyright © 1955 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd