The effects of gender, age and region on macro- and micronutrient contents and fatty acid profiles in the muscles of roe deer and wild boar in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (Germany)

Samples of M. longissimus were collected from a total of 203 feral roe deer (n = 118) and wild boar (n = 85) in two regions of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (Germany). The muscle lipid saturated fatty acid proportions of roe deer and wild boar ranged between 33 and 49 g/100 g total fatty acids and 31 and 35 g/100 g total fatty acids, respectively. The total n − 3 PUFA proportions in roe deer muscle varied between 8.0 and 14 g/100 g fatty acids, and in wild boar muscle between 2.6 and 6.0 g/100 g fatty acids. The major vitamin E homologue, α-tocopherol, was determined to be between 5.8 and 13.1 mg/kg in roe deer muscles. Lower levels between 1.2 and 4.7 mg/kg were measured in wild boar muscles. The iron and zinc concentrations in roe deer and wild boar muscle ranged from 26.3 to 33.9 mg/kg and from 17.0 to 21.7 mg/kg, and from 13.6 to 39.3 mg/kg and 18.1 to 31.9 mg/kg, respectively.