Branched-chain fatty acid explained

Branched-chain fatty acids (BCFA) are usually saturated fatty acids with one or more methyl branches on the carbon chain.^{[1] [2]} BCFAs are most often found in bacteria,^[2] but can be found in nattō,^[3] dairy,^[4] vernix caseosa of human infants and California sea lions^[5] where they may play a role in fostering the development of their intestinal microbiota. Another waxy animal material containing BCFAs is lanolin.^[2]

Branched chain fatty acids are considered to be responsible for the smell of mutton^[6] and higher content causes consumers to dislike the smell of lamb meat.^[7] Branched-chain fatty acids are synthesized by the branch-chain fatty acid synthesizing system.

Notes and References

1. Ran-Ressler RR, Devapatla S, Lawrence P, Brenna JT . Branched chain fatty acids are constituents of the normal healthy newborn gastrointestinal tract . . 64 . 6 . 2008 . 605–609 . 10.1203/PDR.0b013e318184d2e6 . 2662770 . 18614964.
2. Web site: Christie . William . Branched-Chain . AOCS Lipid Library . . June 26, 2012 . 2016-06-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160730033739/http://lipidlibrary.aocs.org/Primer/content.cfm?ItemNumber=39321 . July 30, 2016 . dead .
3. 10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.02.018 . High levels of branched chain fatty acids in nātto and other Asian fermented foods . 2019 . Wang . Dong Hao . Yang . Yupeng . Wang . Zhen . Lawrence . Peter . Worobo . Randy W. . Brenna . J. Thomas . Food Chemistry . 286 . 428–433 . 30827628 . 6477538 .
4. 10.1017/S0007114514001081 . Branched-chain fatty acid content of foods and estimated intake in the USA . 2014 . Ran-Ressler . Rinat Rivka . Bae . Sangeun . Lawrence . Peter . Wang . Dong Hao . Thomas Brenna . J. . British Journal of Nutrition . 112 . 4 . 565–572 . 24830474 . 4381348 .
5. 10.1038/s41598-018-25871-1 . Sea Lions Develop Human-like Vernix Caseosa Delivering Branched Fats and Squalene to the GI Tract . 2018 . Wang . Dong Hao . Ran-Ressler . Rinat . St Leger . Judy . Nilson . Erika . Palmer . Lauren . Collins . Richard . Brenna . J. Thomas . Scientific Reports . 8 . 1 . 7478 . 29748625 . 5945841 . 2018NatSR...8.7478W .
6. Watkins PJ, Rose G, Salvatore L, Allen D, Tucman D, Warner RD . etal. Age and nutrition influence the concentrations of three branched chain fatty acids in sheep fat from Australian abattoirs . Meat Sci . 2010 . 86 . 3 . 594–9 . 20696535 . 10.1016/j.meatsci.2010.04.009 .
7. Watkins PJ, Kearney G, Rose G, Allen D, Ball AJ, Pethick DW . etal. Effect of branched-chain fatty acids, 3-methylindole and 4-methylphenol on consumer sensory scores of grilled lamb meat. . Meat Sci . 2014 . 96 . 2 Pt B . 1088–94 . 22950976 . 10.1016/j.meatsci.2012.08.011 . free .