The Assessment of Fatty Acid Composition in Deep-Fried Dough Sticks across Five Cities in China in 2020

Objective: To analyze and compare the concentrations and dietary intake of different fatty acids (FAs) in deep-fried dough sticks (Chinese fried bread) across various cities in China. Method: Sixty-one deep-fried dough stick samples were collected from five cities (Beijing, Shijiazhuang, Guangzhou, Chongqing, and Hangzhou), and the contents of FA monomers were determined using gas chromatography. Moreover, the dietary FA intake was estimated. Results: The mean FA concentration was 18.83 g/100 g (maximum, 41.59 g/100 g; minimum, 4.88 g/100 g). Polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) accounted for the highest proportion of the total FAs at 41.7% (7.86 g/100 g), followed by monounsaturated FAs (MUFAs) at 30.77% (5.79 g/100 g), saturated FAs (SFAs) at 26.27% (4.95 g/100 g), and trans-FAs (TFAs) at 1.18% (0.22 g/100 g). The Guangzhou deep-fried dough stick samples had a significantly different FA composition than those from the other cities, presenting with the highest concentration of SFAs (8.64 +/- 4.74 g/100 g) and lowest concentration of PUFAs (5.01 +/- 3.41 g/100 g). Beijing had the highest intake of PUFAs and MUFAs, whereas Guangzhou had the highest intake of SFAs. Conclusion: The contents and intake of saturated and unsaturated FAs in deep-fried dough sticks varied across the five cities in China. These results are useful for comparing the nutritional characteristics of deep-fried dough sticks in the different cities of China, thereby promoting further research on the relationship between deep-fried dough stick consumption and human health.