Frequent ingestion of animal fat and risks associated with consumption

Meat and meat products have high consumption rates in world population. Many of these products have a high content of fats that contribute to their sensory characteristics, but if consumed in excess they are associated with development of obesity, metabolic process, cardiovascular diseases, among others. Aim of this work was to quantify total lipid content in products derived from cured meat products, to correlate them with health problems associated with their consumption. Thirty cured meat products from different commercial brands were selected and stored at refrigeration temperature (4 °C) until moment of their analysis. Total lipids were extracted and analyzed using Bligh-Dyer methodology where a mixture of solvents is used to extract lipids. Lipid contents ranging from 6.68 to 48.35% (w/ w) were found; many of products had a fat content above that established by Brazilian legislation. Due to various risks associated with excessive consumption of fat, there is a need to reduce the frequent consumption of these products by general population.