Biological utilization of fatty acid isomers

Abstract

SummaryA review of the literature has shown that in the hydrogenation of vegetable oils, positional and stereoisomers of the unsaturated fatty acids are formed in appreciable quantities and that some isomers are intermediates in the development of others as hydrogenation proceeds. Using a microbiological assay technique, it was demonstrated that the iso‐oleic acids formed during hydrogenation are not antimetabolites for natural oleic acid but are utilized as nutrients. Fatty acids with conjugated double bonds are not antimetabolites for the essential fatty acids but are readily metabolized to carbon dioxide and water. Hydrogenated fats compare favorably with a natural fat of comparable firmness in serving as a source of essential fatty acids. In hydrogenating vegetable oils, isomers of linoleic acid can be formed which resist spectrophotometric detection but exhibit essential fatty acid activity.