Abstract
This paper discusses our attempt to generate substitutes for human breast milk fat through the interesterification of mixtures composed of lard and hemp (Cannabis sativa) seed oil. The interesterification was run at 60 °C for 2, 4, and 6 h in the presence of Lipozyme RM IM preparation containing a lipase specific for the cleavage of sn-1,3 ester bonds in triacylglycerol molecules. The interesterification products were analyzed regarding their fatty acid composition and distribution in triacylglycerol molecules. In order to assess the quality of the generated substitutes, in the interesterification products the following were determined: acid value, peroxide number, and oxidative stability. The collected data were statistically processed using Tukey’s test. Following the interesterification, the fats revealed an elevated percentage of free fatty acids and primary oxidation products and reduced oxidative stability compared to those of lard. The last of the above-mentioned phenomena could have been due to the incorporation of polyenic fatty acids into the external positions of triacyclglycerols of lard. The interesterification of lard and hemp seed oil allows scientists to acquire substitutes rich in essential fatty acids and similar to human breast milk fat with respect to the distribution of fatty acids in triacylglycerol molecules.
Highlights
Inter- and intraesterification are industrial transformation processes based on the redistribution of fatty acids between separate molecules of triacylglycerols or inside them, respectively
The acquired breast milk fat substitutes were characterized by a specific distribution of fatty acids in the TAG molecules that was different from those present in lard and hemp seed oil (Table 1, Figure 1)
Having analyzed the percentage of unsaturated fatty acids in the sn-2 TAG position of the generated substitutes, we found that they occurred mainly in the external positions of TAGs
Summary
Inter- and intraesterification are industrial transformation processes based on the redistribution of fatty acids between separate molecules of triacylglycerols (intermolecularly) or inside them (intramolecularly), respectively. Such reactions take place until thermodynamic equilibrium is reached, and they change the physico-chemical properties of mixtures of fats and oils. Compared to the original mixtures, the resulting products feature a similar degree of saturation and fatty acid profile. They are different in terms of triacylglycerol stereochemistry, which affects their physicochemical and nutritive properties [1,2,3,4,5]. Some of them, such as, for example, conjugated linoleic acids (CLA), which are present in dairy products and ruminant meats, may present benefits for health, e.g., protection against cancer and obesity [10]
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