[Characteristics of fats of some foods of the meats group and their relations with health]

The fatty acids and cholesterol contents of ten fresh protein foods were determined, 6 meats (pork, rabbit, lamb, turkey, chicken and beef) and 4 fishes (tuna, sea bream, hake and sardine); the fat quality by different chemical index of the foods (saturated fat/polyunsaturated fat ratio, index of atherogenicity and index of thrombogenicity) and the effect of their intakes on the health were also determined. The study shows that the fat content was lower in meat pork than lamb, rabbit, tuna, sea bream and sardine; and it was similar to chicken beef and hake. Pork, chicken and turkey meat had the lowest content of myristic acid. Fishes showed lower index of thrombogenicity than the other analyzed food and pork, chicken and turkey showed the lowest atherogenicity index.