The effects of extruded linseed and rapeseed on lipids and FA composition of total, polar and neutral lipids of longissimus thoracis (LT) and semitendinosus (ST) muscles were investigated in 21 Normand cull cows. Animals were assigned in a 100d finishing period to straw (30%) and concentrate (70%) based (C) or the same diet supplemented with linseed (L) or with rapeseed (66%) plus linseed (33%) (RL). Beef polar and neutral lipids were purified by liquid chromatography and their FA analysed by GLC. Trans and cis 18:1, purified by HPLC from total FA methyl esters, were analysed by GLC-MS. L and LR diets did not increase beef lipid deposition, but had modified FA composition of both LT and ST muscles in favouring deposition of 18:3n-3 and 9cis,11tr 18:2 (CIA), mainly to the detriment of 18:1 Delta 9 cis (neutral lipids) and 18:2n-6 (polar lipids). However, they did not favour deposition of LC n-3 PUFA in the two muscles, but had increased deposition of trans 18:1 significantly, especially of Delta 13tr to Delta 16tr isoforms to the detriment of Delta 10tr 18:1 (L diet) and of Delta 11tr 18:1 (RL diet). (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.