Fats Extracted from Oil Press Cakes, Fish Meat, and Chicken Hearts as Potential CoQ10 Supplements

Abstract

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a liposoluble compound naturally occurring in plant and animal cells, with some bene ts for health, mainly due to its antioxidant properties. The food industry gives large quantities of by-products and waste; these could be used to recover the natural form of CoQ10, which has a higher bioavailability than synthetic. The Folch method was used in this study to extract and characterise the fats from some food by-products (oil press cakes of rapeseed, sun ower, pumpkin, linseed, walnut, and hempseed) and waste ( sh meat and chicken hearts), previously identi ed as sources of CoQ10, for potential uses as dietary supplements. The highest CoQ10 content was found in fats extracted from chicken hearts-CH (2041.74 µg/g) and pumpkin press cakes-PPC (661.40 µg/g). Both fats are triglycerides but have a low CVD risk (AI values below the recommended limit). CH fat is dominated by oleic acid (n-9) and PPC fat by linoleic acid (n-6). PUFAs/MUFAs ratio is above the recommended minimum in both fats; however, the n-6/n-3 PUFAs ratio in CH fat exceeds the maximum value. They also contain tocopherols (PPC-138.09 µg/g and CH-54.22 µg/g) that, along with CoQ10, give them antioxidant properties; therefore, they meet the criteria of a food supplement. HighlightsThe highest CoQ10 content is in chicken hearts and pumpkin press cake fats Both fats are triglycerides but have AI values below the recommended limit PUFAs/MUFAs ratio is above the recommended minimum in both fatsThe n-6/n-3 PUFAs ratio in fat from chicken hearts exceeds the maximum value Their antioxidant properties are also due to the presence of tocopherols