Effects of different medium-chain fatty acids on intestinal absorption of structured triacylglycerols

To study the effect of the chain length of medium-chain fatty acids on the intestinal absorption of long-chain fatty acids, we examined the lymphatic transport of fat following administration of five purified structured triacylglycerols (STAG) containing different medium-chain fatty acids in the sn-1, 3 positions and long-chain fatty acids in the sn-2 position in a rat model. Significant amounts of medium-chain fatty acids were found in lymph samples after intragastric administration of 1,3-dioctanoyl-2-linoleyl-sn-glycerol (8∶0/18∶2/8∶0), 1,3-didecanoyl-2-linoleyl-sn-glycerol, and 1,3-didodecanoyl-2-linoleyl-sn-glycerol. The accumulated lymphatic transport of medium-chain fatty acids increased with increasing carbon chain length. The recoveries of caprylic acid (8∶0), capric acid (10∶0), and lauric acid (12∶0) were 7.3±0.9, 26.3±2.4, and 81.7±6.9%, respectively. No significant differences were observed for the maximal intestinal absorption of linoleic acid (18∶2n−6) when the chain length of medium-chain fatty acids at the primary positions was varied, and the absorption of 18∶2 and oleic acid (18∶1) from 8∶0/18∶2/8∶0 and 1,3-dioctanoyl-2-oleyl-sn-glycerol was similar. We conclude that the chain length of the medium-chain fatty acids in the primary positions of STAG does not affect the maximal intestinal absorption of long-chain fatty acids in the sn-2 position in the applied rat model, whereas the distribution of fatty acids between the lymphatics and the portal vein reflects the chain length of the fatty acids. Presented in part at the 3rd ISSFAL Conference, Lyon, France, June 1–5, 1998.     

Lymphatic transport in rats of interesterified oils containing conjugated linoleic acids

In this study we examined the lymphatic transport in rats of FA after administration of interesterified oils containing CLA, with emphasis on the location of CLA and octanoic acid in the TAG. The oils were produced by enzymatic interesterification. Eight oils with different structures or FA profiles were examined in this study: MCM, CMC, OCO, and COC, where M was expected to be octanoic acid and O oleic acid. In group 1, C was CLA as a mixture of the two CLA isomers c9, t11 or t10, c12, and in group 2, C was mainly the isomer t10, c12. Rats were subjected to cannulation of the mesenteric lymph duct, and the following day they were intragastrically administered one of the oils and lymph samples were collected for 24 h. The lymphatic transport of total FA from 0 to 8 h in group 1 was significantly (P < 0.05) higher for the OCO-1 and the COC-1 oils than for the CMC-1 oil. Similarly, in group 2 the transport was higher for the OCO-2 oil than for the CMC-2 oil. The recovery of both of the CLA isomers examined was similar (50-70%) and independent of the isomer, oil structure, and FA profile, whereas more octanoic acid was recovered from the CMC oils than from the MCM oils. The results indicated that the FA profiles and the position of octanoic acid had only a minor influence on the absorption of CLA.     

Lymphatic fatty acids in canines dosed with pharmaceutical formulations containing structured triacylglycerols

The intramolecular structure of dietary triacylglycerols (TAG) influences absorption. In this study, two different pharmaceutical formulations were compared containing TAG differing in fatty acid profiles and intramolecular structures: LML and MLM, where M represented medium‐chain fatty acids (MCFA; 8:0) and L represented long‐chain fatty acids (LCFA). Lymph was collected from thoracic duct‐cannulated canines for 12 h and the fatty acid composition was determined. The lymphatic transport of total fatty acids was significantly higher than the amount dosed; hence, the small exogenously dosed lipid recruited a large pool of endogenous fatty acids. The LML vehicle led to a significantly higher total fatty acid transport than the MLM vehicle. The amount of 8:0 recovered in lymph was almost similar and low for both groups. The amount of LCFA recovered from the animals dosed with the LML vehicle was generally higher than from the animals dosed with the MLM vehicle; however, statistically significant differences were only found for 18:0 and 18:3n‐3. In conclusion, these results indicated that the fatty acid profile and intramolecular structure of administered TAG influenced the absorption of fatty acids in canines, also when the TAG was incorporated into a pharmaceutical formulation in low amounts.     

Lymphatic absorption of oxidized cholesterol in rats

The absorption of cholesterol and of cholesterol oxidation products (oxidized cholesterols) was compared in lymph-cannulated rats. We found that the lymphatic absorption of an intragastrically administered, emulsified lipid meal containing 25 mg of cholesterol or 25 mg of oxidized cholesterols, within 24 h, was approximately 67 and 30%, respectively. The absorption rate of individual oxidized cholesterols differed considerably and was approximately 30% for 7α-hydroxycholesterol, 42% for 7β-hydroxycholesterol, 32% for 5β-epoxycholesterol, 28% for 5α-epoxycholesterol, 15% for cholestanetriol and 12% for 7-ketocholesterol. Moreover, cholesterol oxidation products delayed the absorption of oleic acid as triolein. Approximately 35 and 48% of cholesterol was recovered in chylomicrons (CM) and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), respectively. In contrast, 54 and 40% of the oxidized cholesterols was recovered in CM and VLDL, respectively, although there was a significant difference in the distribution of individual oxidized cholesterols. The results of the present study indicate that oxidized cholesterols are absorbed to a lesser extent than is cholesterol, that they disturb fat absorption and that they distribute differently between lymphatic lipoproteins.     

Influence of dietary linoleic acid andtrans fatty acids on the fatty acid profile of cardiolipins in rats

Cardiolipins (CL) have unique fatty acid profiles with generally high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, primarily 18∶2n−6, and low levels of saturated fatty acids. In order to study the effect of dietary fatty acid isomers on the fatty acid composition of cardiolipins, rats were fed partially hydrogenated marine oils (HMO), rich in 16∶1, 18∶1, 20∶1, and 22∶1 isomeric fatty acids, supplemented with linoleic acid at levels ranging from 1.9% to 14.5% of total fat. Although the dietary fats contained 33%trans fatty acids, the levels oftrans fatty acids in CL were below 2.5% in all organs. The fatty acid profiles of cardiolipins of liver, heart, kidney and testes showed different responses to dietary linoleic acid level. In liver, the contents of 18∶2 reflected the dietary levels. In heart and kidney, the levels of 18∶2 also parallelled increasing dietary levels, but in all groups fed HMO, levels of 18∶2 were considerably higher than in the reference group fed palm oil. In testes, the 18∶2 levels were unaffected by the dietary level of 18∶2 and HMO.     

Lymphatic fatty acids from rats fed human milk and formula containing coconut oil

Human milk and infant formula containing coconut/soy oil were infused into the duodenum of rats to determine the incorporation of capric, lauric, myristic and palmitic acids into lymphatic triacylglycerol (TAG). The proportion of capric and lauric acids in the lymphatic TAG reflected the fatty acid composition of the diet. Based on positional analysis, it appears that more than 50% of the capric and lauric acids could have been absorbed from the intestine assn-2 monoacylglycerols. In the rats fed human milk, 50% of palmitic acid in lymphatic TAG was in thesn-2 position. Because of the nonrandom distribution of palmitic acid in the lymphatic TAG, the nonspecific lipase in human milk, i.e., bile salt-stimulated lipase, did not appear to be a factor in milk lipid digestion.     

Fatty acid chain length combinations in ascitic fluid triglycerides containing lymphatic absorbed medium-chain fatty acids

Information on the fatty acid chain length combinations in lymph triglycerides containing medium-chain fatty acids was obtained combining the fatty acid composition and the carbon number composition of triglycerides from ascitic fluid of patients on medium-chain triglyceride-containing diets. In these triglycerides, the major part of the medium-chain fatty acids was present in combination with long-chain fatty acids. These results indicate that part of the lymphatic absorbed medium-chain fatty acids are absorbed as triglycerides which also contain long-chain fatty acids.     

Enzymatic preparation of structured oils containing short-chain fatty acids

Structured oils prepared by enzymatic transacylation with triacylglycerols (TAGs) and various fatty acids (FAs) were characterized. Transacylation with trilaurin and saturated FAs (C4:0-C16:0) was performed using Lipozyme RM-IM under standard reaction conditions. The structured oils thus produced had transacylation ratios of 25-37%, as medium-chain FAs > long-chain FAs > short-chain FAs. This result confirmed that short-chain FAs have little reactivity in enzymatic transacylation. All prepared oils shared the same composition of TAG molecular species, as demonstrated by HPLC analysis, and contained a mixture of mono-substituted, di-substituted, and non-substituted TAGs. The reaction conditions for transacylation with TAGs and short-chain FAs were optimized to improve transacylation ratios. The introduction ratios of C4:0, C5:0, and C6:0 into trilaurin were increased to 52.4, 42.5, and 34.1%, respectively, by extending the reaction time. Transacylation between TAGs and short-chain FAs was further examined by using Lipase PL. C4:0 was introduced at 51.1%, the same ratio as for Lipozyme RM-IM. When C5:0 and C6:0 were used as the FA substrate, the transacylation ratios obtained were 47.7 and 43.4%, respectively, higher than those for Lipase RM-IM. Lipase PL is therefore useful for introducing short-chain FAs into TAGs.     

Lymphatic fatty acid absorption profile during 24 hours after administration of triglycerides to rats

In this study we determined in rats the complete 24-h lymphatic fatty acid profile after administration of either rapeseed oil (RO) or rapeseed oil interesterified with 10∶0 (RO/C₁₀) with special emphasis on the transition from absorptive to postabsorptive phase. Rats were subjected to cannulation of the main mesenteric lymph duct and the next day oils were administered through a gastric feeding tube. Lymph was collected in 1-h fractions for the following 24 h. The time for maximum lymphatic transport of fatty acids was at 4 h with fast changes in fatty acid composition from the fatty acids of endogenous origin to those of the administered oils. Seven to eight hours after administration the transport was significantly lower than maximum, indicating the change from absorptive to postabsorptive phase. At 24 h after administration of either oil the transport of total fatty acids, palmitic acid (16∶0), and linoleic acid (18∶2n−6) together with oleic acid (18∶1n−9) after RO had not returned to the transport at baseline. In contrast, the transport of decanoic acid (10∶0) and α-linolenic acid (18∶3n−3) returned to baseline values between 12 and 15 h. This indicated that the absorption of purely exogenous fatty acids (illustrated by 10∶0 and 18∶3n−3) was complete at 15 h and that the fatty acids transported between 15 and 24 h were derived mostly from endogenous stores.     

The effect of conjugated linoleic acid isomers on fatty acid profiles of liver and adipose tissues and their conversion to isomers of 16:2 and 18:3 conjugated fatty acids in rats

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a collective term that describes different isomers of linoleic acid with conjugated double bonds. Although the main dietary isomer is 9cis,11trans-18∶2, which is present in dairy products and ruminant fat, the biological effects of CLA generally have been studied using mixtures in which the 9cis,11trans- and the 10trans,12cis-18∶2 were present at similar levels. In the present work, we have studied the impact of each isomer (9cis,11trans- and 10trans,12cis-18∶2) given separately in the diet of rats for 6 wk. The 10trans,12cis-18∶2 decreased the triacylglycerol content of the liver (−32%) and increased the 18∶0 content at the expense of 18∶1n−9, suggesting an alteration of the Δ9 desaturase activity, as was already demonstrated in vitro. This was not observed when the 9cis,11trans-18∶2 was given in the diet. Moreover, the 10trans,12cis-18∶2 induced an increase in the C₂₂ polyunsaturated fatty acids in the liver lipids. The 10trans,12cis-18∶2 was mainly metabolized into conjugated 16∶2 and 18∶3, which have been identified. The 9cis,11trans isomer was preferentially metabolized into a conjugated 20∶3 isomer. Thus, the 9cis,11trans- and the 10trans,12cis-CLA isomers are metabolized differently and have distinct effects on the metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids in rat liver while altering liver triglyceride levels differentially.     

Antioxidant effect of naturally occurring furan fatty acids on oxidation of linoleic acid in aqueous dispersion

Naturally occurring furan fatty acids were synthesized and their antioxidant activity has been studied during the oxidation of linoleic acid in the phosphate buffer, pH 6.9, in the dark. The extent of the oxidation was followed both by the accumulation of conjugated diene and by the measurement of the residual amounts of linoleic acid. The tetra-alkylsubstituted furan fatty acids were found to suppress the oxidation. The trialkylsubstituted compound also showed antioxidant activity, being about 50% as effective as the tetra-alkylsubstituted ones. The di-alkylsubstituted one revealed no significant activity. The antioxidant activity of furan fatty acids depended on the number of substituents on the furan ring. Therefore, a tetra-alkylsubstituted furan ring may be necessary for the antioxidant action of furan fatty acids. The tetra-alkylsubstituted furan fatty acids reduced 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, reacted with the peroxyl radical generated from the thermal decomposition of a radical initiator, 2,2′-azobis(2-amidinopropane)hydrochloride (AAPH), and also suppressed the AAPH-induced oxidation of linoleic acid, indicating that, by scavenging, the peroxyl radical furan fatty acids inhibit the oxidation.     

Biosynthesis of liver glycerolipids from normal and essential fatty acid-deficient rats:3H-glycerol and 1-14C linoleic acid incorporation

Normal and essential fatty acid (EFA)-deficient rats were injected via the portal vein with a labeled solution containing³H-glycerol and 1-¹⁴C-linoleic acid during a 1 min period. Livers were immediately frozen, pulverized, and the lipids extracted and fractioned by thin layer chromatography. The incorporation of³H-glycerol and 1-¹⁴C-linoleic acid into the different lipid fractions was measured, and the per cent distribution and specific radioactivity determined. A parallel increase was found between the specific activity and the amount of³H-glycerol incorporated into 1,2-diglycerides, triglycerides, lecithin and cephalin from EFA-deficient and normal rats. Since the amount of glycerol in each fraction studied was quite similar in both groups of rats, these findings can explain the increase in the specific activity observed in the EFA-deficient rats. Nevertheless these facts do not necessarily imply an increased turnover rate of these molecules, since we do not know the specific radioactivity of the 1,2-diacylglycerol precursors. A remarkable increase in the specific radioactivity of the¹⁴C-linoleic acid incorporated into lipid fractions from EFA-deficient rats compared with control rats was observed. While the amount of 1-¹⁴C-linoleic acid incorporated into neutral lipids was similar in both groups of rats, a statistically significant increase in the amount of the label incorporated into phospholipids from EFA-deficient rats was observed. These facts suggest an increased turnover rate of the radiolinoleic acid into phospholipid molecules from EFA-deficient rats via deacylation-reacylation pathway.     

Effects of dietary phenolic compounds on tocopherol, cholesterol, and fatty acids in rats

The effects of the phenolic compounds butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), sesamin (S), curcumin (CU), and ferulic acid (FA) on plasma, liver, and lung concentrations of α- and γ-tocopherols (T), on plasma and liver cholesterol, and on the fatty acid composition of liver lipids were studied in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Test compounds were given to rats ad libitum for 4 wk at 4 g/kg diet, in a diet low but adequate in vitamin E (36 mg/kg of γ-T and 25 mg/kg of α-T) and containing 2 g/kg of cholesterol. BHT significantly reduced feed intake (P<0.05) and body weight and increased feed conversion ratio; S and BHT caused a significant enlargement of the liver (P<0.001), whereas CU and FA did not affect any of these parameters. The amount of liver lipids was significantly lowered by BHT (P<0.01) while the other substances reduced liver lipid concentrations but not significantly. Regarding effects on tocopherol levels, (i) feeding of BHT resulted in a significant elevation (P<0.001) of α-T in plasma, liver, and lung, while γ-T values remained unchanged; (ii) rats provided with the S diet had substantially higher γ-T levels (P<0.001) in plasma, liver, and lung, whereas α-T levels were not affected; (iii) administration of CU raised the concentration of α-T in the lung (P<0.01) but did not affect the plasma or liver values of any of the tocopherols; and (iv) FA had no effect on the levels of either homolog in the plasma, liver, or lung. The level of an unknown substance in the liver was significantly reduced by dietary BHT (P<0.001). BHT was the only compound that tended to increase total cholesterol (TC) in plasma, due to an elevation of cholesterol in the very low density lipoprotein + low density lipoprotein (VLDL+LDL) fraction. S and FA tended to lower plasma total and VLDL+LDL cholesterol concentrations, but the effect for CU was statistically significant (P<0.05). FA increased plasma high density lipoprotein cholesterol while the other compounds reduced it numerially, but not significantly. BHT, CU, and S reduced cholesterol levels in the liver TC (P<0.001) and percentages of TC in liver lipids (P<0.05). With regard to the fatty acid composition of liver lipids, S increased the n-6/n-3 and the 18∶3/20∶5 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) ratios, and BHT lowered total monounsaturated fatty acids and increased total PUFA (n−6+n−3). The effects of CU and FA on fatty acids were not highly significant. These results suggest some in vivo interactions between these phenolic compounds and tocopherols that may increase the bioavailability of vitamin E and decrease cholesterol in rats.     

Retention of linoleic acid in carcass lipids of rats fed different levels of essential fatty acids

Rats of an inbred Sprague-Dawley strain were fed purified diets with low (0.3% of total energy), normal (3%) or high (10%) content of essential fatty acids (EFA) for at least three generations. Two 30-days-old rats with similar weights were chosen from one litter. One was killed; weight increase and food consumption of the other rat was measured for 15 days. Total lipid content and fatty acid composition in total lipid and lipid classes were determined in both rats. Seven pairs of rats from each group were treated in the same way. Calculations based an amount of linoleic acid ingested and retained in the carcass lipids showed that 50% of the ingested linoleic acid was retained in the low EFA rats compared to 10–15% in the normal and high EFA rats.     

The effects of dietary cholesterol on blood and liver polyunsaturated fatty acids and on plasma cholesterol in rats fed various types of fatty acid diet

Male rats were fed on a fat-free diet for 8 weeks and then switched to diets containing 10% hydrogenated coconut oil (HCO), safflower oil (SFO) or evening primrose oil (EPO). Half of each group was also given 1% of cholesterol in the diet. After 5 further weeks, plama, red cell and liver fatty acids were measured in the various lipid fractions. Plasma and liver cholesterol also were estimated. In almost all fractions and on all three diets, feeding cholesterol led to accumulation of the substrates of desaturation reactions and to deficits of the products of these reactions. The results were consistent with inhibition of Δ-6, Δ-5 and Δ-4 desaturation of n−6 essential fatty acids. Since the diets were deficient in n−3 fatty acids, levels were very low but were also consistent with inhibition of desaturation. In contrast, cholesterol had relatively less consistent effects on 20∶3n−9, suggesting that desaturation of n−9 fatty acids was less inhibited. Plasma cholesterol levels rose sharply in the HCO and SFO groups but not at all in the EPO group. EPO contains the product of Δ-6 desaturation, 18∶3n−6, suggesting that conversion of linoleic acid to 18∶3n−6 and possibly to further metabolites may be important for the cholesterol-lowering effect of polyunsaturates.     

Dietary linoleic acid and polyunsaturated fatty acids in rat brain and other organs. Minimal requirements of linoleic acid

Starting three weeks before mating, 12 groups of female rats were fed different amounts of linoleic acid (18∶2n−6). Their male pups were killed when 21-days-old. Varying the dietary 18∶2n−6 content between 150 and 6200 mg/100 g food intake had the following results. Linoleic acid levels remained very low in brain, myelin, synaptosomes, and retina. In contrast, 18∶2n−6 levels increased in sciatic nerve. In heart, linoleic acid levels were high, but were not related to dietary linoleic acid intake. Levels of 18∶2n−6 were significantly increased in liver, lung, kidney, and testicle and were even higher in muscle and adipose tissue. On the other hand, in heart a constant amount of 18∶2n−6 was found at a low level of dietary 18∶2n−6. Constant levels of arachidonic acid (20∶4n−6) were reached at 150 mg/100 g diet in all nerve structures, and at 300 mg/100g diet in testicle and muscle, at 800 mg/100 g diet in kidney, and at 1200 mg/100 g diet in liver, lung, and heart. Constant adrenic acid (22∶4n−6) levels were obtained at 150, 900, and 1200 mg/100 g diet in myelin, sciatic nerve, and brain, respectively. Minimal levels were difficult to determine. In all fractions examined accumulation of docosapentaenoic acid (22∶5n−6) was the most direct and specific consequence of increasing amounts of dietary 18∶2n−6. Tissue eicosapentaenoic acid (20∶5n−3) and 22∶5n−3 levels were relatively independent of dietary 18∶2n−6 intake, except in lung, liver, and kidney. In several organs (muscle, lung, kidney, liver, heart) as well as in myelin, very low levels of dietary linoleic acid led to an increase in 20∶5n−3. Dietary requirements for 18∶2n−6 varied from 150 to 1200 mg/100 g food intake, depending on the organ and the nature of the tissue fatty acid. Therefore, the minimum dietary requirement is estimated to be about 1200 mg/100 g (i.e., the level that ensures stable and constant amounts of arachidonic acid).     

Effect of continuous enteral medium-chain fatty acid infusion on lipid metabolism in rats

This study compared (i) the relative effects of long-chain triglycerides (LCT) and medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), (ii) the influence of amount of MCT, and (iii) the impact of medium-chain fatty acid position, on plasma and lymphatic triglycerides and portal vein free fatty acids. The animals were fed approximately at 250 kcal/kg · day for 20h. The lymph from lymphatic duct and blood from portal vein and systemic circulation were collected. The results showed that feeding 100% MCT for 20h was sufficiently long to reduce significantly the level of linoleic acid in portal vein fatty acids and plasma and lymph triglycerides. However, this alteration induced by MCT feeding was partially prevented by adding LCT to the diet. The level of arachidonic acid was significantly reduced in plasma triglycerides by any of the diets containing medium-chain fatty acids compared to 100% LCT. When feeding MCT only, palmitoleic acid, presumably reflecting de novo lipogenesis, was increased in lymphatic triglycerides and portal vein fatty acids. Total saturated fatty acids as a total percentage of total fatty acids were also significantly increased in plasma and lymphatic triglycerides and portal vein fatty acids. Thus, when linoleic acid is limiting, the conversion of MCT into long-chain fatty acids by de novo lipogenesis is likely to be an important metabolic route. Providing LCT with MCT or 2-monodecanoin appears to limit this pathway.     

The control of fatty acid composition in glycerolipids

The continued suggestion that the ratio of saturated to unsaturated acids in the diet can influence the general health of a mammal is still not easily explained at a biochemical level. Studies on the metabolism of glycerophosphatides show that the enzymes involved appear to differ in the degree of selectivity toward substrates with different amounts of unsaturation. In general, each individual acid will have its own characteristic metabolic fate. The acyl-CoA:acyl-GPC acyltransferases have a marked specificity for both the position to be acylated and the particular acyl-CoA involved. In some cases, the observed distributions of fatty acids in naturally occurring lecithins and triglycerides are similar to the distributions predicted from in vitro studies of the acyltransferase enzymes. Other enzymatic steps, such as acid activation and N-methylation, can also be shown to influence the fatty acid composition of the glycerolipids. The relative importance of these metabolic processes must now be determined.     

Effect of plant sterols,fatty acids and lecithin on cholesterol absorption in vivo in the rat

The inhibitory effect of plant sterols, fatty acids and lecithin on cholesterol intestnal absorption was studied in the unanesthetized rat using a single pass perfusion technique. Bile was excluded from the perfused intestine. Cholesterol absorption did not change following the additions of cholestanol, cholestanone, lanosterol, stigmasterol and β-sitosterol. A 3-fold increase in the molarity of cholestanol and β-sitosterol or the separate additions of the saturated short and medium chain fatty acids, butyric and octanoic, also did not change cholesterol absorption. The unsaturated long chain fatty acids, oleic, linoleic, linolenic and arachidonic, inhibited cholesterol absorption. Lecithin additions at concentrations of 0.1–1.5 mM caused a progressive, dose-related inhibition of cholesterol absorption. The inhibitory effect of these agents on cholesterol absorption is likely to have been caused by changes in cholesterol solubility in the micelle and shifts in the partition coefficient of cholesterol away from the cell membrane to the micelle.     

Effects of randomization of partially hydrogenated corn oil on fatty acid and cholesterol absorption,and tissue lipid levels in rats

Randomization of partially hydrogenated corn oil containing approximately 45% oftrans octadecenoic acid only slightly, but not significantly, increased the lymphatic fatty acid absorption in rats. No effect of randomization was observed on cholesterol absorption. When rats were fed these fats at the 8.8% level (with 1.2% safflower oil) for three weeks, the concentrations of serum cholesterol, and serum and liver phospholipid were significantly higher in randomized fat than in control fat, which was composed of 9% high-oleic safflower oil and 1% palm oil. Liver cholesterol tended to be higher in randomized fat. In contrast, nonrandomized fat was not hyperlipidemic compared to control fat. Although the fatty acid composition of liver phospholipids suggested a possible interference oftrans fatty acid with the metabolism of linoleic acid to arachidonic acid, there was no effect of randomization. In the two hydrogenated fat groups,trans octadecenoic acid was incorporated and distributed similarly in adipose tissue triacylglycerol. These observations indicated that randomization of partially hydrogenated fat is not beneficial to various lipid parameters in rats.