The research aimed to assess fat and fatty acid (FA) digestibility in foxes fed a standard diet without (0%) or with addition of low levels of inulin (0.25; 0.5 and 1% of diet, as-fed basis). Twenty-four blue foxes were divided into four treatment groups. The chemical composition of the diet and dietary and fecal FA profile were analyzed. The main dietary FAs were: palmitic (C16:0) and oleic (C18:1n-9) (38.63 and 32.50% total FAs). Linoleic acid (C18:2n-6) was the most abundant dietary polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) (87%). Dietary fat and majority of individual FAs were almost completely digested (>97%) regardless of the diet used. The lowest digestibility was shown by long-chain saturated fatty acids (SFA) (C22:0 and C20:0). Addition of 0.5% inulin decreased (P<0.05) the digestibility of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) compared to the control and 0.25% inulin diet. Supplementation of 0.5 and 1% inulin decreased (P<0.05) the digestibility of most abundant dietary SFA (C16:0 and C18:0), some MUFA (C16:1n-7, C20:1n-11) and the derivatives of essential FAs from the n-6 family (C20:3 and C20:4) but had no effect on the absorption of the parent forms of essential FAs (C18:2n-6 and C18:3n-3). The present study gives preliminary information on the effect of inulin on lipid digestibility in carnivorous animals so further investigations are needed to confirm our findings.

Key words: Blue fox, Fatty acids, Inulin, Total digestibility