Interesterification of Lard and Soybean Oil Blends Catalyzed by Immobilized Lipase in a Continuous Packed Bed Reactor

Structured lipids (SL), formulated by blends of lard and soybean oil in different ratios, were subjected to continuous enzymatic interesterification catalyzed by an immobilized lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosus (Lipozyme TL IM) in a continuous packed bed reactor. The original and interesterified blends were examined for fatty acid and triacylglycerol composition, regiospecific distribution, and solid fat content. Blends of lard and soybean oil in the proportions 80:20 and 70:30 (w/w), respectively, demonstrated a fatty acid composition, and proportions of polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acids (PUFA/SFA) and monounsaturated/polyunsaturated fatty acids (MUFA/PUFA), that are appropriate for the formulation of pediatric products. These same blends were suited for this purpose after interesterification because their sn-2 positions were occupied by saturated fatty acids (52.5 and 45.4%, respectively), while unsaturated fatty acids predominantly occupied sn-1,3 positions, akin to human milk fat. Interesterification caused rearrangement of triacylglycerol species.     

Multivariate Data Analysis of Fatty Acid Content in the Classification of Olive Oils Developed Through Controlled Crossbreeding

The fatty acid (FA) composition of 540 Tunisian virgin olive oil hybrids (VOO) were classified by principal component analysis (PCA). Pearson correlation between FA variables revealed an inverse association between C18:1 and C18:2; C18:1 and C16:0, while C16:0 and C16:1 were positively correlated. PCA yielded five significant PCs, which together account for 79.95% of the total variance; with PC1 contributing 36.84% of the total. Eigenvalue analysis revealed that PC1 was mainly attributed to C18:1, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and the ratios oleic/linoleic (O/L) and monounsaturated fatty acids/polyunsaturated fatty acids (MUFA/PUFA); PC2, by C16:0, saturated fatty acids (SFA) and the palmitic/linoleic ratio (P/L); PC3 by C18:2 and C22:0, PC4 by C18:0 and PC5, by C17:1. Then, PCA analysis indicated that in addition to C16:0, C18:0, C18:1, C17:1, and C22:0, MUFA, SFA and the ratios O/L, P/L and MUFA/PUFA were determined to be the main factors responsible for the olive oil hybrids discrimination.     

Dietary Monounsaturated Fatty Acids Are Protective Against Metabolic Syndrome and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors

Over 50 years of research has sought to define the role dietary fat plays in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Although optimal dietary fat quantity has been keenly pursued over past decades, attention has recently centered on the value of dietary fat quality. The purpose of the present review is to provide a critical assessment of the current body of evidence surrounding efficacy of dietary monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) for reduction of traditional risk factors defining metabolic syndrome (MetS) and CVD. Due to existing and emerging research on health attributes of MUFA rich diets, and to the low prevalence of chronic disease in populations consuming MUFA rich Mediterranean diets, national dietary guidelines are increasingly recommending dietary MUFA, primarily at the expense of saturated fatty acids (SFA). Consumption of dietary MUFA promotes healthy blood lipid profiles, mediates blood pressure, improves insulin sensitivity and regulates glucose levels. Moreover, provocative newer data suggest a role for preferential oxidation and metabolism of dietary MUFA, influencing body composition and ameliorating the risk of obesity. Mounting epidemiological and human clinical trial data continue to demonstrate the cardioprotective activity of the MUFA content of dietary fat. As the debate on the optimal fatty acid composition of the diet continues, the benefit of increasing MUFA intakes, particularly as a substitute for dietary SFA, deserves considerable attention.     

High-Fat Diet Alters Serum Fatty Acid Profiles in Obesity Prone Rats: Implications for In Vitro Studies

High‐fat diets (HFD) are commonly used in rodents to induce obesity, increase serum fatty acids and induce lipotoxicity in various organs. Invitro studies commonly utilize individual free fatty acids (FFA) to study lipid exposure in an effort to model what is occurring in vivo; however, these approaches are not physiological as tissues are exposed to multiple fatty acids in vivo. Here we characterize circulating lipids in obesity‐prone rats fed an HFD in both fasted and fed states with the goal of developing physiologically relevant fatty acid mixtures for subsequent in vitro studies. Rats were fed an HFD (60 % kcal fat) or a control diet (10 % kcal fat) for 3 weeks; liver tissue and both portal and systemic blood were collected. Fatty acid profiles and absolute concentrations of triglycerides (TAG) and FFA in the serum and TAG, diacylglycerol (DAG) and phospholipids in the liver were measured. Surprisingly, both systemic and portal serum TAG were ~40 % lower in HFD‐fed compared to controls. Overall, compared to the control diet, HFD feeding consistently induced an increase in the proportion of circulating polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) with a concomitant decline in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and saturated fatty acids (SFA) in both serum TAG and FFA. The elevations of PUFA were mostly attributed to increases in n‐6 PUFA, linoleic acid and arachidonic acid. In conclusion, fatty acid mixtures enriched with linoleic and arachidonic acid in addition to SFA and MUFA should be utilized for in vitro studies attempting to model lipid exposures that occur during in vivo HFD conditions.     

Dietary Monounsaturated Fatty Acids but not Saturated Fatty Acids Preserve the Insulin Signaling Pathway via IRS-1/PI3K in Rat Skeletal Muscle

Saturated fatty acids (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) show different effects on the development of insulin resistance. In this study, we compared the effect of dietary SFA and MUFA on the insulin signaling pathway in the skeletal muscle of a type 2 diabetic animal model. Twenty-nine-week-old male Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima fatty (OLETF) rats were randomly divided into three groups and fed one of the following diets for 3 weeks; a normal chow diet, an SFA (lard oil) enriched or a MUFA (olive oil) enriched high-fat diet. The vastus lateralis muscle was used for analyses. Insulin tolerance test showed improved insulin sensitivity in rats fed the MUFA diet, as compared to those fed the SFA diet (p < 0.001). The SFA diet reduced IRS-1 expression and phosphorylated PI3K levels in skeletal muscle, as compared with a chow diet (p < 0.001, respectively). On the contrary, muscle IRS-2 expression and phosphorylated ERK1/2 was significantly increased in rats fed the SFA diet (p < 0.001, respectively). Membrane translocation of glucose transporter type 4 decreased in the skeletal muscle of rats fed the SFA diet, as compared to those fed a chow diet (p < 0.001). These changes in insulin signaling pathway in skeletal muscle were not observed in rats fed the MUFA diet. In conclusion, the beneficial effect of dietary MUFA on insulin sensitivity is associated with a conserved IRS-1/PI3K insulin signaling pathway which was altered by dietary SFA.     

Lipase‐catalyzed synthesis of structured lipids with fatty acids fractionated from saponified chicken fat and menhaden oil

In this study, free fatty acids (FFA) of chicken fat and menhaden oil, which were obtained by saponification, were dry‐fractionated and solvent fractionated. Using these fractionation processes, FFA fractions enriched in monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids were obtained. Chicken fat FFA fractions enriched in MUFA were modified further by lipase‐catalyzed esterification with the starting fat to produce structured lipids of high MUFA content.     

Enrichment of Omega-3 Fatty Acids of Refined Hoki Oil

Enrichment of the omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids of refined hoki oil (RHO) intact triglycerides (TG) and via free fatty acids (FFA), was carried out in the present study using established methods of dry fractionation (DF), low temperature solvent crystallization (LTSC) and urea complexation (UC) and positional distribution of fatty acids in the intact TG was determined by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) analysis. Results showed that n-3 fatty acids were enriched in liquid fractions of all methods except DF, where the highest concentration was obtained via the UC method (83.00 %). The FFA form of the oil produced a higher concentration (40.81 %) of n-3 fatty acids via the LTSC method compared to the TG form (31.50 %). The percentages of the total saturated fatty acid (SFA) in the liquid fractions in all methods were lower, ranging from 1.60 % (UC) to 21.44 % (DF) compared to the RHO parent oil (24.05 %). The percentages of total monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) in the liquid fractions were similar to the solid fractions except for the UC method where total MUFA was six times higher in the solid fraction. In LTSC-FFA and UC methods, the enrichment factor for EPA was lower, ranging from 1.61 (LTSC-FFA) to 2.83 (UC), than DHA which ranged from 1.64 (LTSC-FFA) to 3.88 (UC). EPA was preferentially located at the sn-1,3 position and DHA was significantly located at the sn-2 position which is the favoured location for intestinal digestion.     

Effects of the ratio of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acid to saturated fatty acid on rat plasma and liver lipid concentrations

The effects of dietary monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acid+MUFA/saturated fatty acid (PUFA+MUFA/SFA) ratio on plasma and liver lipid concentrations were studied. In experiment I, when rats were fed with 40% fat (energy%, PUFA/SFA ratio 1.0) and 1% (w/w) cholesterol (C) diets for 21 d, a large amount of MUFA (28.1 energy%, PUFA+MUFA/SFA=5.7) in the diet was found to increase the plasma total C, triacylglycerol (TAG), and phospholipid (PL) as compared with the low-MUFA diet (7.0 energy%, PUFA+MUFA/SFA=1.4). The plasma very low density lipoprotein (VLDL)-C, VLDL-TAG, VLDL-PL, and low density lipoprotein (LDL)-C increased significantly in the high-MUFA diet group, but high density lipoprotein (HDL)-C did not change significantly. The high-MUFA diet resulted in greater accumulation of liver C but lesser accumulation of TAG. In experiment II, when dietary SFA was fixed at a certain level (13.2 energy%; PUFA+MUFA/SFA=2.0), rats given a larger amount of MUFA (23.1 energy%; PUFA/MUFA=0.2; MUFA/SFA=1.8) showed higher plasma and liver C levels than did the low-MUFA diet (7.7 energy%; PUFA/MUFA=2.5; MUFA/SFA=0.6). When PUFA was fixed at a certain level (24.4 energy%), there was not a significant difference in the plasma C level between the high-and low-MUFA dietary groups (PUFA+MUFA/SFA=4.8 and 8.4), but the higher PUFA+MUFA/SFA diet, which was high in MUFA/SFA ratio, significantly decreased the plasma HDL-C and TAG levels. However, when MUFA content was fixed at a certain level (16.4 energy%), no significant difference was observed between the two groups with different PUFA/SFA ratios of 0.2 and 4.1, but liver C level was raised in the higher PUFA/SFA diet. It appears that the PUFA/SFA ratio alone is unsuitable to predict the change of plasma C level, because a large amount of dietary MUFA may lead to an increase of plasma and liver lipids in rats. It seems that the prerequisites for keeping low plasma and liver C are (i) low MUFA/SFA ratio, (ii) high PUFA/MUFA ratio, and (iii) PUFA+MUFA/SFA ratio not to exceed 2.     

The impact of dietary mono‐ and poly‐unsaturated fatty acids on risk factors for atherosclerosis in humans

The fatty acid composition of the diet has various effects on atherosclerosis risk factors. Dietary saturated fatty acids (SFA) and trans‐unsaturated fatty acids increase the low‐density lipoprotein (LDL)‐/high‐density lipoprotein (HDL)‐cholesterol ratio in serum, while these fats do not have a significant bearing on serum triglyceride levels. By contrast, dietary monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), n‐6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and α‐linolenic acid (C18:3n‐3) similarly reduce LDL cholesterol concentrations, while their influence on serum HDL cholesterol and triglycerides is not appreciable. Dietary long‐chain n‐3 PUFA slightly increase serum LDL cholesterol concentrations, but are nevertheless considered salubrious with regard to serum lipids due to the distinct triglyceride‐lowering effects. MUFA‐rich compared to n‐6 PUFA‐rich diets strongly reduce the in vitro oxidizability of LDL. The available studies on this subject also suggest that n‐3 PUFA in the small amounts usually present in the diet are not unduly harmful. These findings are consistent with reports from observational studies: the amount of SFA is positively and the amount of MUFA and n‐6 PUFA in the diet is inversely associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease in most epidemiological studies. The available studies have had an impact on current dietary guidelines, which unanimously recommend that most of the dietary fat should be in the form of MUFA, while the amount of SFA and trans fatty acids in the diet should be as low as possible.     

Healthier lipid combination oil‐in‐water emulsions prepared with various protein systems: an approach for development of functional meat products

Five protein‐stabilized oil‐in‐water emulsions were prepared using sodium caseinate (O/SC), soy protein isolate (O/SPI), sodium caseinate and microbial transglutaminase (O/SC + MTG), sodium caseinate, microbial transglutaminase and meat slurry (O/SC + MTG + MS) and SPI, sodium caseinate and microbial transglutaminase (O/IPS + SC + MTG); their composition (proximate analysis and fatty acid profile) and physicochemical characteristics were examined. The lipid phase was a combination of healthy fatty acids from olive, linseed and fish oils, containing low proportions (15%) of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and high proportions of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA, 47%) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA, 36%), with a PUFA/SFA ratio >2, and a n‐6/n‐3 PUFA ratio of 0.4. All the oil‐in‐water emulsions showed high thermal and creamy stability. Results of penetration test and dynamic rheological properties showed la existencia de different types of oil‐in‐water emulsion structures according to stabilizing system of emulsion. Those structures ranged from concentrate solution‐like (stabilized only with SC) (gel strength 0.06 mJ) to gel‐like (samples containing MTG) behaviours (gel strength ranged between 3.4 and 6.2 mJ). Morphological differences in the organization of the network structure were observed (by scanning electron microscopy) as functions of the protein system used to stabilize the oil‐in‐water emulsions.     

Positional analysis of triacylglycerols from bovine adipose tissue lipids varying in degree of unsaturation

The objective of this study was to demonstrate that changing the fatty acid composition of bovine adipose tissue concurrently changed (i) proportions of triacylglycerol species, (ii) fatty acid composition of triacylglycerol species, and (iii) positional distribution of the component fatty acids of the triacylglycerol species. To achieve this, we took advantage of adipose tissue lipids, from cattle fed in Australia and Japan, that varied widely in fatty acid composition and melting points. Treatment groups produced in Australia were cattle fed: a cornbased diet (MUFA1); a grain-based diet containing whole cottonseed (SFA); a grain-based diet containing protected cottonseed oil (PUFA); and a grain-based diet that resulted in high contents of trans fatty acids (TFA). Treatment groups produced in Japan (MUFA2 and MUFA3) were diets of unknown composition fed for over 300 d. The MUFA1, MUFA2, and MUFA3 samples all were rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, varying only in the proportions of the individual monounsaturates. The SFA, PUFA, and TFA samples had relatively high concentrations of stearic acid (18:0), PUFA, and TFA, respectively. Slip points (indicative of melting points) were 45.1, 41.5, 38.5, 30.7, 28.4, and 22.8°C, for the SFA, TFA, PUFA, MUFA1, MUFA2, and MUFA3 groups, respectively (P<0.05). Triacylglycerols were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography on a silver nitrate-impregnated column into sn-1,2,3-saturated fatty acid triacylglycerol (SSS); [triacylglycerols containing two saturated acids and one trans-monounsaturated fatty acid (SSMt sn-positions unknown)]; sn-1-saturated, 2-monounsaturated, 3-saturated triacylglycerol (SMS); sn-1-saturated, 2-monounsaturated, 3-trans-monounsaturated triacylglycerol (SMMt); sn-1-saturated, 2,3-monounsaturated fatty acid triacylglycerol (SMM); sn-1-saturated, 2-polyunsaturated, 3-trans-monounsaturated triacylglycerol; sn-1,2,3-monounsaturated fatty acid triacylglycerol (MMM); and sn-1-saturated, 2-polyunsaturated, 3-monounsaturated triacylglycerol. Fatty acid methyl esters of each triacylglycerol species also were determined, and further analysis indicated sn-2, and sn-1/3 positions. As the percentage oleic acid increased in the total lipid extract, the proportions of SMM and MMM increased (e.g., from 31.4 and 2.4% in the SFA group to 55.4 and 17.8% in the MUFA3 group). The elevated 18:0 in the SFA group (26%) was reflected in increased percentages of SSS and SSM, and caused an increase in the proportion of 18:0 in all triacylglycerol species relative to the other treatment groups. The percentage of 18:0 in the sn-1/3 positions was elevated markedly in the SMS fraction of the SFA group (to 44%); this would account for the high melting point of the fat of these animals. We conclude that long-term feeding of cattle is sufficient to produce significant alterations in fatty acid composition in bovine adipose tissue. Alterations in the fatty acid composition of bovine adipose tissue changed both the distribution and the composition of the triacylglycerol species, which, in turn, accounted for marked differences in melting points among treatment groups.     

Seasonal Variations in the Fatty Acid Composition of Phospholipid and Triacylglycerol in Gonad and Liver of Mastacembelus simack

The seasonal effects on the fatty acid composition of triacylglycerol (TG) and phospholipid (PL) in the gonad and liver of Mastacembelus simack were determined using the gas chromatographic method. The most abundant fatty acids in the investigated seasons and tissues were palmitic acid (C16:0), stearic acid (C18:0), oleic acid (C18:1n‐9), palmitoleic acid (C16:1n‐7), arachidonic acid (C20:4n‐6), eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5n‐3), and docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6n‐3). The distribution proportions of ∑SFA (saturated fatty acids), ∑MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids) and ∑PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) were found to be different among PL and TG fractions in all seasons. The total lipid content of gonad and liver were 1.32 (November)–4.90 % (September) and 1.32 (September)–3.94 % (January), respectively. It was shown that the total lipid and fatty acid compositions in the gonad and liver of fish were significantly influenced by seasons.     

An increase in dietary n-3 fatty acids decreases a marker of bone resorption in humans

Human, animal, and in vitro research indicates a beneficial effect of appropriate amounts of omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on bone health. This is the first controlled feeding study in humans to evaluate the effect of dietary plant-derived n-3 PUFA on bone turnover, assessed by serum concentrations of N-telopeptides (NTx) and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BSAP). Subjects (n = 23) consumed each diet for 6 weeks in a randomized, 3-period crossover design: 1) Average American Diet (AAD; [34% total fat, 13% saturated fatty acids (SFA), 13% monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), 9% PUFA (7.7% LA, 0.8% ALA)]), 2) Linoleic Acid Diet (LA; [37% total fat, 9% SFA, 12% MUFA, 16% PUFA (12.6% LA, 3.6% ALA)]), and 3) α-Linolenic Acid Diet (ALA; [38% total fat, 8% SFA, 12% MUFA, 17% PUFA (10.5% LA, 6.5% ALA)]). Walnuts and flaxseed oil were the predominant sources of ALA. NTx levels were significantly lower following the ALA diet (13.20 ± 1.21 nM BCE), relative to the AAD (15.59 ± 1.21 nM BCE) (p < 0.05). Mean NTx level following the LA diet was 13.80 ± 1.21 nM BCE. There was no change in levels of BSAP across the three diets. Concentrations of NTx were positively correlated with the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNFα for all three diets. The results indicate that plant sources of dietary n-3 PUFA may have a protective effect on bone metabolism via a decrease in bone resorption in the presence of consistent levels of bone formation.     

Serum β-carotene concentrations are associated with self-reported fatty acid intake in United States adults from the National Health and Examination Surveys

Bioavailability of dietary β-carotene (BC) is dependent on dose, quantity, dispersion, and presence of fat in the diet. Fats are comprised of a variety of fatty acids, which may impact the bioavailability of carotenoids. However, there is a gap in research on whether specific fatty acid classes affect serum BC concentrations in population samples. The primary objective of this study was to assess the association between reported fat and fatty acid intake and serum BC concentrations utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) 2003–2006. Data from 3278 NHANES participants 20–85 years old were analyzed to estimate the relationships between serum BC concentrations and reported saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA), and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acid intakes. Multiple linear regression estimated ln(serum BC) based on reported fatty acid intakes adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and reported dietary BC intakes. Mean and standard error (SE) for serum BC concentrations were 14.31 ± 0.05 μg/dl. Means and SE for total fat, SFA, MUFA, and PUFA were 85.7 ± 1.3, 26.9 ± 0.4, 31.1 ± 0.5, and 17.8 ± 0.4 g, respectively. There was a significant trend for association between serum BC and reported total fat intakes (r = −0.002, p < 0.0001), but the association was not strong. Multiple linear regression showed positive associations between serum BC concentrations and higher reported dietary PUFA consumption. PUFA alpha-linolenic acid intakes are positively associated with serum BC concentrations, while MUFA palmitoleic acid and SFA stearic acid were inversely associated with serum BC. The inverse association between MUFA and SFA suggests there may be multiple post-digestion factors affecting serum carotenoid concentrations.     

Simplex-Centroid Mixture Design Applied to the Aqueous Enzymatic Extraction of Fatty Acid-Balanced Oil from Mixed Seeds

A one-step method was developed to extract oil from a mixture of soybeans, peanuts, linseeds, and tea seeds using an aqueous enzymatic method. The proportion of the four seeds was targeted in accordance with a fatty acid ratio of 0.27 (SFA, saturated fatty acid(s)): 1 (MUFA, monounsaturated fatty acid(s)): 1 (PUFA, polyunsaturated fatty acid(s)), and the oil extraction yield was maximized by applying the simplex-centroid mixture design method. Three models were developed for describing the relationship between the proportion of the individual seeds in the mixture, the fatty acid ratio in the extracted oil, and the oil extraction yield, respectively. The developed models were then analyzed using an ANOVA and were found to fit the data quite well, with R ² values of 0.98, 0.93, and 0.93, respectively. The three models were validated experimentally. The results indicated that the ratio of fatty acids in the oil ranged between 0.98 and 1.12 (MUFA:PUFA) and between 0.26 and 0.28 (SFA:MUFA), which were quite close to the target values of 1 and 0.27, respectively. The oil extraction yield of 62.13 % was slightly higher than the predicted value (60.32 %).     

Effect of temperature on fatty acid composition in the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus): A temperature dependent nutritive lipid profile

In this study, the effects of temperature on the fatty acids profile and the effects of temperature on the degree of unsaturation of fatty acids of Oreochromis niloticus were investigated. The analysis was performed by gas chromatography. The study showed that there were large temperature variations (10.0–32.0°C) during the study period (January–December). The highest crude fat content was found in January (3380 mg/100 g) and the lowest in June (2050 mg/100 g). The fatty acids profile showed significantly different diversity (p < 0.05). Total saturated fatty acid (∑SFA) content ranged from 409.54 to 1297.61 mg/100 g, monounsaturated fatty acid (∑MUFA) from 207.68 to 665.81 mg/100 g, and polyunsaturated fatty acid (∑PUFA) from 175.12 to 972.23 mg/100 g. The ∑MUFA and ∑PUFA concentrations were highest in January and lowest in June, and the ∑SFA concentration was lowest in January and highest in June. EPA and DHA contents were highest in January (198.96 mg/100 g) and lowest in June (48.76 mg/100 g). The contents of omega-3 (653.17 mg/100 g) and omega-6 fatty acids (252.54 mg/100 g) were highest in January and lowest in June (ω-3; 106.43 and ω-6; 60.91 mg/100 g). It concluded that the degree of unsaturation of fatty acids increases with decreasing temperature. In this study, the nutritional quality of the FAs profile was assessed using lipid quality indices. The indices indicating dietary quality of lipids by their values: Atherogenic index (0.47), thrombogenic index (0.38), hypocholesterolemic to hypercholesterolemic (3.00), meat fat quality (6.78), ω6/ω3 ratio (0.39), PUFA/SFA (2.37), MUFA/SFA (1.62), PUFA/MUFA (1.46), and PUFA + MUFA/SFA (3.99). These values are within the recommended range, indicating that the lipid profile of O. niloticus has high nutritional quality, which can be further improved by harvesting the fish during the winter season. Due to the nutritional importance of O. niloticus, the culture of this species could have significant interest to the people of Karachi, especially the coastal communities. To promote the nutritional diet in local population, the government should support the aquaculture of Nile tilapia.     

The effect of fatty acid composition of rapeseed oil on plasma lipids and oxidative stability of low‐density lipoproteins in cholesterol‐fed hamsters

We studied the effect of four rapeseed oils with different fatty acid profiles on parameters implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis in humans in a model experiment with hamsters. The hamsters were divided into seven groups and fed a semi‐synthetic, cholesterol‐enriched diet (5 g/kg diet) containing 15% of the fat in question for a period of six weeks. The following rapeseed oils were used: (1) conventional rapeseed oil (6% saturated fatty acids [SFA], 64% monounsaturated fatty acids [MUFA], 18% linoleic acid [LA], 9% α‐linolenic acid [ALA]), (2) linoleic acid‐rich rapeseed oil (6% SFA, 61% MUFA, 28% LA, 2% ALA), (3) oleic acid‐rich rapeseed oil (6% SFA, 74% MUFA, 11% LA, 5% ALA), (4) myristic acid‐rich rapeseed oil (11% myristic acid, 35% SFA, 44% MUFA, 14% LA, 5% ALA). Sunflower oil, olive oil and lard were used as control fats. The concentrations of the lipids in the plasma, in the lipoprotein fractions and in the liver, the fatty acid composition of various tissues, the tocopherol status and the susceptibility of low‐density lipoproteins (LDL) to in vitro‐oxidation were determined. The concentrations of total cholesterol found in the plasma and in the LDL fraction and the ratios of LDL to HDL were similar after feeding the four different types of rapeseed oil, sunflower oil and olive oil. Lard produced the highest concentrations of cholesterol in plasma and the LDL fraction and the highest ratio of LDL to HDL. Feeding conventional, oleic acid‐ and myristic acid‐rich rapeseed oils resulted in markedly lower ratios of arachidonic to eicosapentaenoic acid in the lipids of the liver and the erythrocytes. This is considered beneficial for the formation of eicosanoids. The lag‐time before the onset of peroxidation of the LDL lipids, induced by copper ions, was not statistically significant between the seven hamster groups suggesting that the susceptibility of LDL to lipid peroxidation was similar after feeding all types of fat. Considering all parameters obtained in the used hamster model it is obvious that all four rapeseed oils are at least as favourable as olive oil or sunflower oil.     

Rapid FT-NIR Analysis of Edible Oils for Total SFA, MUFA, PUFA, and Trans FA with Comparison to GC

Declarations of the total content of trans fatty acids (FA) and saturated FA (SFA) are mandatory on food labels in the US and Canada. Gas chromatography (GC) has been the method of choice for the determination of FA composition. However, GC is time consuming and requires conversion of fats and oils to their FA methyl esters. In the present study, a recently published Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopic procedure was applied to the rapid (<5 min) determination of total SFA, monounsaturated FA (MUFA), polyunsaturated FA (PUFA), and trans FA contents of 30 commercially available edible fats and oils. Good agreement was obtained between the GC and FT-NIR methods for the determination of total SFA, MUFA, and PUFA contents. Differences between the two methods were apparent for the determination of trans fat at trans fat levels <2 % of total fat. The analytical determinations of total SFA, MUFA, and PUFA contents for many of the oils examined differed from the respective values declared on the product labels. Our findings demonstrate that the FT-NIR procedure serves as a suitable alternative method for the rapid determination of total SFA, MUFA, PUFA and trans FA contents of neat vegetable oils.     

Steaming,boiling after pre-frying,and stir-frying influence the fatty acid profiles and oxidative stability of soybean oil blended with docosahexaenoic acid algal oil

The objective of this study was to improve the content of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and obtain the blended oils used for different cooking methods (steaming, boiling, and stir-frying) by blending 0%–15% DHA algal oil into soybean oil. It was shown that the addition of DHA algal oil increased saturated fatty acid (SFA) (1.57%) but decreased monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) (0.76%) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) (0.68%). Various cooking methods significantly changed the fatty acid (FA) compositions. Steaming is a more effective way to prevent DHA loss and the production of trans-fatty acid than boiling and stir-frying. Besides, a positive result from free fatty acid (FFA) and peroxide value also demonstrated that steaming was a better way to protect oils. Overall, the soybean oil blended with 3% DHA algal oil with better oxidative stability and could be recommended for daily application by steaming.     

Microglial Cell Activation Increases Saturated and Decreases Monounsaturated Fatty Acid Content,but Both Lipid Species are Proinflammatory

Neuroinflammation is a component of age-related neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive decline. Saturated (SFA) and monounsaturated (MUFA) fatty acids are bioactive molecules that may play different extrinsic and intrinsic roles in neuroinflammation, serving as exogenous ligands for cellular receptors, or endogenous components of cell structural, energetic and signaling pathways. We determined the fatty acyl profile of BV2 microglial cells before and after acute activation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We also investigated the effect of SFA and MUFA pretreatment on the production of an invasive, neurotoxic phenotype in BV2 cells. Acute activation of BV2 microglia resulted in an increase in the relative content of SFA (12:0, 16:0, 18:0, 20:0, 22:0, and 24:0 increased significantly), and a relative decrease in the content of MUFA (16:1n7, 18:1n7, 18:1n9, 20:1n9, 24:1n9 decreased significantly). In agreement, the major stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) isoform in BV2 cells, SCD2, was significantly down-regulated by LPS. We next treated cells with SFA (16:0 or 18:0) or MUFA (16:1n7 or 18:1n9), and found that levels of secreted IL6 were increased, as was secreted MMP9-mediated proteolytic activity. To test the functional significance, we treated SH-SY5Y neuronal cells with conditioned medium from BV2 cells pretreated with fatty acids, and found a small but significant induction of cell death. Our findings suggest differential intrinsic roles for SFA and MUFA in activated microglial cells, but similar extrinsic roles for these fatty acid species in inducing activation. Expansion of SFA is important during microglial cell activation, but either supplemental SFA or MUFA may contribute to chronic low-grade neuroinflammation.