The content of tocopherols in the fat fractions of each 24 sample of fresh meat, liver, stomach, and intestines from several species of domestic animals, which are commonly used for meat materials, was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Commercially available butter also was subjected to this determination.
1) The content of total tocopherols in body fat was found to vary depending upon animal species with the highest (2.85mg/100g) for horses and the lowest (0.45mg/100g) for pigs. The content of α-tocopherol, a major component in the total tocopherols, varied also depending on species with the highest (95.6% of total tocopherols) for horses and the lowest (58.0%) for chicken. Although the content of total tocopherols in lamb was obviously less than that in sheep, there was little difference in the tocopherol composition between these animals.
2) The content of total tocopherols in each fat of liver, stomach, and intestines was generally higher than that in body fat, with the highest for liver. The content of α-tocopherol in the total tocopherols of these organs was also higher than that of body fat. The liver contained it at the highest level for cows and pigs. Contrary to these animals, chicken was found to contain α-tocopherol much more in intestines than in liver.
3) On the average, commercial butter contained 1.61mg/100g of total tocopherols, of which about 95% was α-tocopherol.