Karnitin í tvøsti og lambskjøti

The Faroe Islands have a high frequency of Carnitine Transporter Defect (CTD) and these patients need to take carnitine supplements. It is however important that CTD patients consume food with high content of carnitine, because natural carnitine in food is a better source of carnitine, since it is more accessible to the body than supplements of carnitine. The content of carnitine has been analysed in different kinds of food, and the levels are highest in meat products and lowest in vegetables. Studies show a positive correlation between red meat and carnitine. In the Faroe Islands there are some traditional foods were the content of carnitine is unknown e.g. the meat of pilot whale. In 2018, the levels of carnitine were analysed in meat from 15 lambs, while the levels of carnitine in the meat of pilot whale were analysed at two different times in year 2015 and 2017. The meat of pilot whale originated form 31 pilots whales (13 females and 18 males). The mean levels of carnitine in lamb meat was 1617 mg/kg while the levels of carnitine in the meat of pilot whale was 178 mg/kg. The levels in the meat from the adult pilot males was significantly higher than in the adult pilot females. The results show that lamb meat is a good source of natural carnitine and the levels are higher in lamb meat than in cow and pig meat. The levels in meat from pilot whale is much lower than in lamb meat, but higher than e.g in chicken and salmon. There are still some more natural sources of carnitine that need to be studied such as different kinds of fish species, wild birds and other traditional Faroese food. It could also be interesting to look at the effect of cooking on the levels of carnitine in food. Other studies have found that some of the carnitine went into the water fraction, when preparing the meat. In this way, gravy or broth also becomes a source of natural carnitine when consuming soup and sauce, as is common in the Faroese Islands.