No abstract

The present study aims to establish the fatty acid profile of a variety of traditional foods consumed regularly in Paraguay. Thirty-two high-lipid content foods were evaluated by gas chromatography coupled with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID). Meat and dairy products were found to present high levels of saturated fatty acids, and this led to an increase in the atherogenicity and thrombogenicity indices of these products. Among the monounsaturated acids evaluated, oleic acid (18:1n-9c) was mainly found in olives (71.7%) and chipa (62.7%), which had been industrially prepared with the addition of oleic acid. Milk-based ice cream (5.1%) and chipa guazú (3.8%) presented the highest content of trans fatty acids. The n-6/n-3 fatty acids ratio obtained for the traditional sopa Paraguaya and empanada (fried pasty) was higher than 37:1; this can be attributed to the addition of soybean and corn oils in the preparation of these foods. The data evaluated and presented in this study can contribute toward the improvement of eating habits among the Paraguayan population, as well as help combat the risk factors commonly associated with bad eating habits and chronic health issues.