Abstract: NIR technology was used to analyze the fatty acid composition of fat tissue from conjugated linoleic acid fed pigs by direct application of a fibre optics probe on two different locations of subcutaneous fat. One hundred and fifty-three pigs were fed three different diets and the fatty acid profile of subcutaneous fat from Gluteus medius was analyzed using gas chromatography and FT-NIR in a longitudinal and transversal cut. Spectra were acquired using a Bruker Optics Matrix-F duplex spectrometer equipped with a fibre optics probe (IN-268-2). Total saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated together as well as oleic and stearic fatty acids were predicted accurately (R 2 >0.70), myristic, and linoleic fatty acids were predicted with lower accuracy (0.60< R 2 <0.70), while palmitic, asclepic and α-linolenic fatty acids were poorly predicted (R 2 <0.60). Results indicated that NIR technology has potential as a rapid tool to discriminate carcasses from animals fed diets with different fatty acid composition by a direct measurement on the fat from the ham. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]