The hydrogenation of triglycerides using supported alloy catalysts. I. Silica-supported Ni—Ag catalysts

Silica-supported Ni-Ag catalysts with a loading of 2·1·0.6% (w/w) total metal have been prepared using the precursors nickel dimethylglyoxime and silver nitrate by means of a simple impregnation method. The resulting catalysts were activated by calcination at 260°C in air, followed by hydrogen reduction at 450°C. They were then employed for soyabean oil hydrogenation at 1 bar H2 pressure and 160°C in a stirred batch reactor. Characterisation of the catalysts using temperature-programmed reduction and electron microscopy indicated that alloying of nickel and silver had occurred, but metal particle composition, for a given overall composition, varied with metal particle size and smaller metal particles were nickel rich. The hydrogenation activity and selectivity measurements revealed that the catalysts were more active and selective than a commercial nickel catalyst. Furthermore, the specific activities of the alloy catalysts were a maximum for alloys in the range 70–90 at. % Ni. However, the supported alloy catalysts also gave rise to greater trans isomerisation than the commercial catalyst. This is attributed to hydrogen deficiency caused by large triglyceride molecules blocking hydrogen chemisorption on small nickel particles (10–50 Å in diameter), leading to enhanced cis-trans isomerisation.     

Supplementation with Docosahexaenoic Acid and Vitamin E Improves Hepatic Triglyceride Accumulation Induced by High-Fat Diet in Mice

The study aims to investigate the effect of combined supplementation with docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6 n-3, DHA) and vitamin E (VE) on the oxidative stress and liver triglycerides (TG) accumulation induced by high-fat diet (HFD) in mice. C57BL/6J mice are fed either a control diet or an HFD for 8 weeks. Animals are supplemented with DHA, VE, or DHA + VE, respectively. Supplementation with DHA alone shows significant improvement in oxidative stress and hepatic steatosis in mice. Supplementation with DHA significantly reduces the liver TG and total cholesterol contents, and the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, compared with the HFD. Supplementation with DHA also significantly decreases the mRNA expression level of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1C. However, supplementation with VE alone does not show improvement in oxidative stress and hepatic steatosis. DHA + VE supply obtains a superior effect in alleviation of hepatic steatosis than DHA supplementation alone in mice fed by HFD. The efficacy of DHA potentiated by VE can be due to that VE enhances the effect of DHA in decrease of ALT and AST levels and increase of antioxidant enzyme activity and glutathione level in mice fed by HFD. Practical Applications: Supplementation with DHA significantly improves the oxidative stress and hepatic steatosis induced by HFD in mice. The efficacy of DHA in the alleviation of hepatic steatosis induced by HFD is potentiated by VE. These findings may provide a rational basis for the use of DHA and VE co-supplementation in patients with liver steatosis.     

Milk fat fractionation today: A review

Although anhydrous milk fat (AMF) has excellent properties, its variable physicochemical properties and its lack of functionality restrict its uses in the food industry. A technology involving dry fractionation of AMF has been developed, and its attributes include selectivity, reliability and general application. Combining two simple and reliable technologies,i.e., multi-step fractionation and blending, it is possible to overcome functionality problems and the seasonal variations of AMF. Lecture presented at the joint meeting of the International Society for Fat Research and the American Oil Chemists’ Society in Toronto, May 10, 1992.     

Polymorphic stability of some shortenings as influenced by the fatty acid and glyceride composition of the solid phase

A number of North American vegetable and animal fat shortenings, which had been analyzed previously for their physical and textural characteristics, were analyzed also for their chemical composition. The fatty acid and triglyceride composition of the solids were calculated by analyzing the composition of the original product and the liquid phase, and by determination of the solid fat content (SFC) of the fat. The solids were also isolated by isopropanol (IP) separation, and the high melting glycerides (HMG) by acetone crystallization at 15°C. There was not much difference in total saturates andtrans content between vegetable and animal fat shortenings. Changing formulations from soy-palm to soy-cottonseed does not change the total saturates plustrans content. The solids of the vegetable shortenings in the β form contained about 20% of 16:0, those in the β′ form 30% or more. The animal fat shortenings were mainly in the β form, their solids contained 30% or more of 16:0. C54 triglyceride content of the solids of β vegetable shortenings (calculated and IP-separated) was >45%, that of all animal fats was <25%. Solids of animal fat shortenings contain high levels of C52. The C54 triglycerides are β-tending and should be kept low in vegetable shortening. In the HMG the C54 should not exceed 30%. This can only be achieved by incorporation of a β′ hard fat, preferably palm hard fat. Animal fat, especially lard, crystallizes in the β form because the palmitic acid in the glyceride molecule is located in the 2-position, whereas those of vegetable fats are in the 1- and 3-position.     

Lipid adsorption on commercial silica hydrogels from hexane and changes in triglyceride complexes with time

The structures of and lipid complexes with two commercial silica hydrogels (Trisyl and Sorbsil 40), which contain about 60% moisture, were examined by diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The spectra suggested that Trisyl contained less moisture than Sorbsil 40. However, the silanol groups of Sorbsil 40 were more active in adsorbing oleic acid, triglyceride, and phosphatidylcholine (PC) from hexane than those of Trisyl. Both adsorbents strongly bound PC through the PC carbonyl and phosphate groups. Lipid adsorption from hexane solution by Trisyl depended solely on trapped moisture, while Sorbsil 40 used moisture and silanol groups on the silica surface. Spectra of triglyceride-silica hydrogel complexes, obtained 24 and 72 h after obtaining the initial spectra, showed that Sorbsil 40 adsorption was by Van der Waals forces, but the triglyceride reoriented over time with an increase in hydrogen bonding. In contrast, Trisyl initially adosorbed triglyceride by hydrogen bonding which was stable for at least 72 h.     

酶催化合成高纯度甘油中碳酸单酯

研究了无溶剂体系中脂肪酶LRI催化合成甘油中碳酸单酯(MG)。得到适宜的反应条件为:反应温度57℃,n(酸)∶n(甘油)=1∶1 1,加酶量100U/g(酸),甘油初始含水量w(H2O)=12%,封闭物系反应4h转敞开物系反应6h。产物中甘油中碳酸单酯质量分数w(MG)=42 20%。将n(酸)∶n(甘油)降低至1∶9,反应时间缩短至4h,粗产物经脱甘油和脱酸处理,可获得高纯度甘油中碳酸单酯。纯化后产品中基本不含游离酸及甘油,其中甘油中碳酸单酯质量分数w(MG)=73 65%。过量加入的甘油全部可以回收利用,其平衡转化率降低不超过2%。     

MCFA alleviate H2O2-induced oxidative stress in AML12 cells via the ERK1/2/Nrf2 pathway

Oxidative stress is an important factor in the occurrence and development of liver disease. Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) have potential antioxidant function, whereas the exact underlying mechanism of MCFA in oxidative injury of hepatocytes remains unclear. In our present study, three different MCFAs, 8-carbon octanoic acid (OA), 10-carbon capric acid (CA), and 12-carbon lauric acid (LA), have been performed to observe their protective action for hepatocyte under the H₂O₂ challenge. The result showed that MCFA treatment significantly increased the cell viability, T-AOC, and expression of antioxidant-related genes in AML12 cells under oxidative stress condition, and reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Moreover, MCFA treatment significantly increased the protein expression of Nrf2 and the phosphorylation level of ERK1/2; LA treatment significantly promoted the Nrf2 nuclear translocation. With a further test, the rescue ability of MCFA was blocked by treating with the ERK inhibitor U0126. Overall, our data suggested that MCFA treatment has positive impact on protecting AML12 cells against oxidative stress through ERK1/2/Nrf2 pathway.     

核桃油对小鼠血脂及胆固醇的影响

采用不同剂量的核桃油对小鼠进行试验，研究其对血脂水平的影响。结果表明，核桃油试验组小鼠的血清甘油三脂（TG）、总胆固醇（TC）和动脉硬化指数（AI）均不同程度低于高脂模型组（P〈0.05或P〈0.01），而高密度脂蛋白（HDL-C）却显著（P〈0．05）高于高脂模型组，表明，核桃油确有显著降低血脂和降低动脉硬化危险性的作用。