Analysis of the Fatty Acid Profile of the Tissues of Hunted Mallard Ducks (Anas platyrhynchos L.) from Poland

Abstract

The aim of the study was to analyse the fatty acid profile of selected tissues of mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos L.), in relation to where they were obtained and their sex, with regard to the human diet. The study was carried out on material obtained from mallard ducks from two study areas: the Siedlce hunting district and the Leszno hunting district. The research material was the breast and leg muscles of 28 mallards. The samples were frozen and stored at −20 °C. The fatty acid profiles in the biological samples were determined by selected ion recording (SIR). The results showed significantly (p < 0.05) lower average levels of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and significantly higher (p < 0.05) average levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), n−6 PUFAs, and n−3 PUFAs in the breast muscles of the mallards obtained in the Siedlce hunting district. This in conjunction with the higher (p < 0.05) hypocholesterolaemic/hypercholesterolaemic index (h/H) in the leg muscles and lower (p < 0.05) atherogenic and thrombogenic indices (AI and TI) in the leg and breast muscles of mallards in the Siedlce hunting district indicate the higher health-promoting value of the meat of ducks from this region. The average n−6/n−3 PUFA ratio in the breast muscles was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in mallards obtained in the Leszno hunting district. Males of the species had a significantly (p < 0.05) higher average n−6/n−3 PUFA ratio in the breast muscles than females. The PUFA/SFA ratio was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the leg muscles of the female mallards than in the males.

Nutritional value of meat lipid fraction obtained from mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos) reared in semiextensive conditions for hunting purposes

“…Regarding the mallard duck breast FA profile, the meat total SFA and MUFA proportions were halfway between the values reported for wild mallard ( Janiszewski et al, 2018 ; Bombik et al, 2022 ) and also for those quantified in Polish Pekin duck strains ( Wołoszyn et al, 2006 ), while the breast meat total PUFA proportion was below the values presented for both wild mallard and Pekin ducks (32.7 and 28.5% of total FA, respectively) ( Wołoszyn et al, 2006 ; Bombik et al, 2022 ). The breast meat of mallard duck, presented herein, offers higher SFA and lower PUFA contents than their wild counterparts, such combination of results in the FA profile could be a consequence of increased fatness ( Ding et al, 2021 ), which may result in improved meat sensorial quality traits, as juiciness, tenderness, and flavor ( Chartrin et al, 2006 ; Cui et al, 2018 ).…”

“…Nowadays, game meat is a freely available commodity of increasing popularity in Western societies, representing an added diversity to the human diet ( Quaresma et al, 2016 ), being regarded by consumers as a highly valued food, preferred by its nutritional properties and health benefits, and considered as more organic than other meat types ( Hofbauer et al, 2010 ; Tomasevic et al, 2018 ). The importance of game meat obtained from waterfowl species, as the mallard duck and goose, is confirmed by the studies published recently in the issue ( Janiszewski et al, 2018 ; Bombik et al, 2022 ; Söderquist et al, 2022 ). Considering the: 1) growing interest in game meat; 2) relevance of mallard duck as the prime game waterfowl species in Europe and North America; 3) recognized importance of intramuscular fat content and its composition on meat sensorial and nutritional quality.…”

Content of Lead and Cadmium in the Tissues and Organs of the Wild Mallard Duck (Anas platyrhynchos L.) Depending on the Region of Poland Where It Is Harvested

“…This study was carried out on material obtained from wild mallard ducks harvested in 2018-2019 in two study areas. The first area was the Siedlce hunting district, located in the central-eastern part of Poland, and the other was the Leszno hunting district, situated in the western part of Poland [33]. The two areas differed in environmental resources and in the degree of contamination of the environment with heavy metals.…”

“…The period during which the mallards were harvested was limited to the first two months of the hunting season for the species, i.e., from 15 August to 15 October, before the birds had begun to migrate. Detailed information on the methods of obtaining the mallard ducks can be found in the work by Bombik et al [33]. The samples were frozen and stored at −20 • C.…”

“…The protein content in the muscles of wild mallards ranges from 19% to 21.8%, the fat content ranges from 3% to 6.1% and the caloric value ranges from 140 to 155 kcal [32]. According to Bombik et al [33], given recommendations to limit the intake of saturated fatty acids in the human diet, the low proportion of these acids in the breast muscle of mallards may suggest that the meat of wild mallards is of higher nutritional value than that of farm animals. The higher proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids than saturated fatty acids in the breast and leg muscles of mallards is also beneficial for consumer health.…”