Comparative Study on the Fatty Acid Profile of Three Local Food Condiments (Dawadawa, Ogiri Igbo and Ogiri Okpei) Sold in Aba, Abia State, Nigeria

: In today's society, the risk of cardiovascular disease is steadily rising. The fatty acid composition of three local fermented food condiments (dawadawa, ogiri igbo, and ogiri okpei) purchased from different markets in Aba, Nigeria, was studied using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS) in order to look for alternative natural fermented food condiments that are absorbed in the body without having many health implications. The fatty acid profiles revealed the presence of caproic acid in all condiments, with dawadawa (0.916%), ogiri igbo (0.767%) and ogiri okpei (6.167%). Linoelaidic acid was observed to be present in the dadwadawa (1.608%) and ogiri igbo (7.050%) condiments only, while oleic acid was present only in ogiri okpei (0.901%). Both ogiri igbo (2.939%) and ogiri okpei (1.419%) showed the presence of palmitoleic acid, while isovaleic acid was also observed to be present in both dawadawa (2.298%) and ogiri igbo (12.307%) condiments. Butanoic acid (35.779%), palmitic acid (4%) and 4-Methyloctanoic fatty acid (1.491%) were found only in the ogiri igbo condiments. The three native condiments were devoid of linoleic acid (omega-6 group) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3 group). The lipid profile of the three condiments differed significantly, with the ogiri igbo having a higher fatty acid content than the dawadawa and ogiri okpei.