Relative Fatty Acid Composition Research Articles

Proficiency testing performance of Turkish laboratories on determination of relative composition of fatty acids in sunflower oil

Proficiency testing performance of Turkish laboratories on determination of relative composition of fatty acids in sunflower oil

Thymol as natural antioxidant additive for poultry feed: oxidative stability improvement

Antioxidant are regularly included in poultry feed as protection from deterioration during storage. Recently the interest for the use of natural phytochemicals in animal diets has been increased. Thymol (THY) has been proven to be an effective antioxidant for extending broiler meat quality during storage with similar action to the widely used butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). This study evaluates whether THY can also have a protective effect on the feed mash by assessing its antioxidant potential and related changes in fatty acid (FA) balance. Feed mash was assigned to 1 of 4 treatments, control (CON, no additive), vehicle (VEH, ethanol 96%), BHT (400 mg BHT /kg feed) and THY (400 mg THY /kg feed). Three replicates of each treatment were taken after 0, 30, and 60 d of storage at room temperature (23 ± 3°C) and relative humidity (40 ± 5%). Peroxide value (PV), titratable acidity (TA) and FA relative composition were determined. As expected, there were no treatment effects on those variables at 0 d of storage. However, higher PV values were detected in the CON and VEH groups after 30 and 60 d of storage in comparison to the THY and BHT treated samples (CON = VEH > THY = BHT). While a slight increase was also observed in TA through storage time, no particular treatment effects were detected. Relative FA composition changed with storage time only in the CON and VEH group which had a decrease in polyunsaturated fatty acids and an increase in saturated FA. No changes were detected in the Thy and BHT treated feeds. The results suggest a similar THY and BHT protective effect on feed mash lipid oxidation. Thus, THY could be considered as a useful natural alternative to help sustain quality of poultry feed.

Circulating concentrations and relative percent composition of trans fatty acids in healthy Canadian young adults between 2004 and 2010: a cross-sectional study.

Trans fatty acids (TFAs) produced from industrial partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils have been the subject of much research regarding their negative effect on the development of chronic diseases, and recommendations to label foods with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and limit their levels were introduced in Canada in 2003 and 2007, respectively. Our aim was to determine temporal changes in circulating plasma TFAs in a population of young healthy Canadian adults after the introduction of the guidelines. In this study, circulating plasma concentrations and relative percent composition of individual TFAs over time (2004-2010) were determined in a cross-sectional cohort of young healthy Canadian adults as part of the Toronto Nutrigenomics study. A total of 1294 participants were included in the cohort. Relative to 2004, total TFA levels were significantly lower in 2005-2009 (p < 0.05), but not in 2010. Although levels of 16:1t9 and 18:1t11 declined after 2004, levels of 18:1t9 and 18:1t10 were significantly lower in 2005-2009 (p < 0.05), but not in 2010. Trans fatty acids were lower in 2009 relative to 2004, but not different in 2010, suggesting that young Canadians may remain vulnerable to partially hydrogenated vegetable oil exposure and that there is a need for further monitoring of specific food categories and vulnerable populations.

Blood fatty acid composition in relation to allergy in children aged 2-9 years: results from the European IDEFICS study.

Blood polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are involved in allergy development, but the etiological role of n-6 and n-3 PUFA is still controversial. A European multicenter study of children (IDEFICS) provided the opportunity to explore the cross-sectional association between fatty acids (FA) and allergy. Blood FA levels were measured in 2600 children aged 2-9 years and were recorded as the percentage of weight of all FA detected. Logistic regression of allergy status on FA components was adjusted for age, sex, country, body mass index, family history of allergic disease, breast-feeding, and number of siblings. The results were given as odds ratios (OR) for current vs no allergy ever and an increase in FA by 1 s.d. Overall, higher proportions of n-6 PUFA were associated with higher odds of allergy (OR=1.21 (1.05, 1.40)). Monounsaturated FA (MUFA) were associated with reduced risk for allergy (OR=0.75 (0.65, 0.87)), whereas saturated FA did not differ by allergy status. The strongest associations were observed in children <4 years old, with ORs of allergy given as 1.62 (1.15, 2.29) for n-3 PUFA and 0.63 (0.42, 0.95) for MUFA. With regard to individual FA, these associations were independently observed for docosapentaenoic acid (22:5 n-3) and oleic acid (18:1 n-9). Both PUFA subtypes were positively associated with allergy in an age-dependent manner, whereas MUFA was associated with less allergy. The observation of high proportions of n-3 PUFA in allergic children younger than 4 years might help to understand the nature of early onset of atopic disease.

Survival of Bifidobacterium strains in organic fermented milk is improved as a result of membrane fatty acid composition

Survival of three Bifidobacterium strains in organic and conventional fermented milks in relation to their membrane fatty acid composition was studied during chilled storage. Survival of Bifidobacterium lactis BB12 and BL04 over 21 days at 4 °C was improved in organic fermented milks, whereas these parameters were less effective for Bifidobacterium infantis ATCC15697. These different behaviours were linked to acidification activity, oxidoreduction potential and relative fatty acid composition, which differed among the strains and the types of milk used. The higher relative unsaturated fatty acid content in organic products, including trans-vaccenic, conjugated linoleic and α-linolenic acids, resulted in an increase in the linoleic and α-linolenic acid content in the cell membranes of B. lactis BB12 and BL04. The study showed that the membrane fatty acid composition, which depended on the strain and on the milk fatty acid composition, affected the survival of bifidobacteria during chilled storage in fermented milk products.

Exogenous salicylic acid protects phospholipids against cadmium stress in flax (Linum usitatissimum L.)

Salicylic acid (SA) promotes plant defense responses against toxic metal stresses. The present study addressed the hypothesis that 8-h SA pretreatment, would alter membrane lipids in a way that would protect against Cd toxicity. Flax seeds were pre-soaked for 8h in SA (0, 250 and 1000µM) and then subjected, at seedling stage, to cadmium (Cd) stress. At 100µM CdCl2, significant decreases in the percentages of phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) and changes in their relative fatty acid composition were observed in Cd-treated roots in comparison with controls. However, in roots of 8-h SA pretreated plantlets, results showed that the amounts of PC and PE were significantly higher as compared to non-pretreated plantlets. Additionally, in both lipid classes, the proportion of linolenic acid (18:3) increased upon the pretreatment with SA. This resulted in a significant increase in the fatty acid unsaturation ratio of the root PC and PE classes. As the exogenous application of SA was found to be protective of flax lipid metabolism, the possible mechanisms of protection against Cd stress in flax roots were discussed.

Oxidative Stress and Dietary Fat Type in Relation to Periodontal Disease.

Oxidative stress is one of the main factors studied to explain the pathophysiological mechanisms of inflammatory conditions, such as periodontitis. In this respect, nutrition may be of great importance. Actually, research on nutrients’ effects on periodontal diseases has expanded to include those influencing the redox status, which correlates to the inflammatory process. Dietary fat or lipids are often blamed as the major source of excess energy. Consequently, when caloric intake exceeds energy expenditure, the resultant substrate-induced increase in citric acid cycle activity generates an excess of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In addition, dietary fatty acid intake influences in relative fatty acid composition of biological membranes determining its susceptibility to oxidative alterations. From this standpoint, here, we reviewed studies analyzing the dietary fat role in periodontal disease. Research data suggest that periodontal health could be achieved by main dietary strategies which include substitution of saturated fats with monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), particularly n-3 PUFA. Maybe in the future, we should analyze the diet and provide some advice to periodontitis patients to improve treatment outcomes.

Increased production of free fatty acids in Aspergillus oryzae by disruption of a predicted acyl-CoA synthetase gene.

Fatty acids are attractive molecules as source materials for the production of biodiesel fuel. Previously, we attained a 2.4-fold increase in fatty acid production by increasing the expression of fatty acid synthesis-related genes in Aspergillus oryzae. In this study, we achieved an additional increase in the production of fatty acids by disrupting a predicted acyl-CoA synthetase gene in A. oryzae. The A. oryzae genome is predicted to encode six acyl-CoA synthetase genes and disruption of AO090011000642, one of the six genes, resulted in a 9.2-fold higher accumulation (corresponding to an increased production of 0.23 mmol/g dry cell weight) of intracellular fatty acid in comparison to the wild-type strain. Furthermore, by introducing a niaD marker from Aspergillus nidulans to the disruptant, as well as changing the concentration of nitrogen in the culture medium from 10 to 350 mM, fatty acid productivity reached 0.54 mmol/g dry cell weight. Analysis of the relative composition of the major intracellular free fatty acids caused by disruption of AO090011000642 in comparison to the wild-type strain showed an increase in stearic acid (7 to 26 %), decrease in linoleic acid (50 to 27 %), and no significant changes in palmitic or oleic acid (each around 20-25 %).

Assessment of Red Blood Cell Membrane Fatty Acid Composition in Relation to Dietary Intake in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Catheterization

Participants will acknowledge the potential promise of red blood cell membrane fatty acid composition as a predictive tool in the clinical setting. Participants will recognize that this biomarker reflects both fatty acid composition and cellular composition.

Changes in milk fatty acid composition in relation to indicators of energy balance in Holstein cows

The contents of protein (P), fat (F), a F:P ratio, and content of individual fatty acids (FA) and groups of FA, including ratio of SFA:UFA (saturated FA-to-unsaturated FA) and MUFA:PUFA (ratio monounsaturated FA-to-polyunsaturated FA) in milk during the first 17 weeks of lactation with respect to the development of NEB demonstrated by the change in cows’ body condition. The differences in fat content were more pronounced than those in protein content. The resulting changes of the fat-to-protein ratio over time are associated with adipose tissue mobilization due to NEB, which was also confirmed by the changes in the BCS during the experimental period. The results indicate the possibility of using both fat content and fat-to-protein ratio as indicators of NEB in early lactation cows. The highest concentrations of saturated FA (SFA) were observed for C14:0, C16:0, C18:0, and also for the SFA with low carbon numbers. The highest concentrations of unsaturated FA (UFA) were determined for C18:1, C18:2, and C16:1. The significant difference in SFA:UFA between cows with decreasing of the BCS and cows without big change in the BCS after calving were not found. The changes in MUFA:PUFA in milk during the first 5 weeks of lactation differed between the cows with low and high decrease of BCS one month after calving. In cows with a greater NEB effect was observed ratio of PUFA:MUFA in milk with a value above 6.5. The results suggest the possibility of using MUFA:PUFA ratios as suitable indicators of NEB in cows after calving.

Fatty acid profiles and adipogenic gene expression of various fat depots in Japanese Black and Holstein steers

Objective of the study was to assess the breed effect on fatty acid (FA) composition of different adipose tissues and on mRNA expression of genes involved in adipogenesis and fat metabolism. Japanese Black (JB) and Holstein (HS) steers were kept under equivalent conditions with high energy intake resulting in large differences in intramuscular fat (IMF) accumulation in longissimus muscle (LM). The relative FA composition of muscle, intermuscular fat, visceral fat, and perirenal fat was comparable between JB and HS steers. Circulating fatty acids were also similar in both breeds. Most relevant breed effects were identified in IMF, underlining the uniqueness of this adipose tissue site. JB steers had more monounsaturated FA and less saturated FA. Perilipin 1 and adipose differentiation-related protein (ADFP) mRNA levels were higher in IMF of JB. The results suggest advanced maturity of IMF cells in JB and altered local conditions in muscle influencing IMF accumulation and composition.

A Functional Nexus between Photoperiod Acclimation, Torpor Expression and Somatic Fatty Acid Composition in a Heterothermic Mammal

The seasonal changes in thermal physiology and torpor expression of many heterothermic mammals are controlled by photoperiod. As function at low body temperatures during torpor requires changes of tissue lipid composition, we tested for the first time whether and how fatty acids are affected by photoperiod acclimation in hamsters, Phodopus sungorus, a strongly photoperiodic species. We also examined changes in fatty acid composition in relation to those in morphology and thermal biology. Hamsters in short photoperiod had smaller reproductive organs and most had a reduced body mass in comparison to those in long photoperiod. Pelage colour of hamsters under short photoperiod was almost white while that of long photoperiod hamsters was grey-brown and black. Short photoperiod acclimation resulted in regular (28% of days) torpor use, whereas all hamsters in long photoperiod remained normothermic. The composition of total fatty acids differed between acclimation groups for brown adipose tissue (5 of 8 fatty acids), heart muscle (4 of 7 fatty acids) and leg muscle (3 of 11 fatty acids). Importantly, 54% of all fatty acids detected were correlated (r2 = 0.60 to 0.87) with the minimum surface temperature of individuals, but the responses of tissues differed. While some of the compositional changes of fatty acids were consistent with a ‘homeoviscous’ response, this was not the case for all, including the sums of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, which did not differ between acclimation groups. Our data identify a possible nexus between photoperiod acclimation, morphology, reproductive biology, thermal biology and fatty acid composition. They suggest that some of the changes in thermal physiology are linked to the composition of tissue and organ fatty acids.

Genetic Variants of the Fatty Acid Desaturase Gene Cluster Are Associated with Plasma LDL Cholesterol Levels in Japanese Males

Fatty acid (FA) compositions in tissues are related to metabolic disorders, and consequently the appropriate management of underlying FA compositions in tissues is considered to be important. However, the relationship among the serum lipid profiles, the FA composition of the red blood cell (RBC) membranes and genetic variations in the fatty acid desaturase (FADS) genes in Japanese men is unclear. In this study, the subjects recruited were 137 Japanese men, 40 to 60 y old, who had a regular health checkup. Their serum lipid profile and the relative FA composition of the RBC membranes were measured. They were genotyped for the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs174553, rs174546, rs99780 and rs174583 in FADS gene. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to detect the relationship among hyperlipidemia, the FA composition of the RBC and the FADS genotypes. As a result, the homozygous genotype for the minor alleles in rs174553, rs174546, rs99780 were found to be associated with lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and a lower LDL-C/total-cholesterol ratio. The homozygous genotype for the minor alleles reduced the risk of high LDL-C level (R2=0.50, β=-0.20, p=0.009), whereas, the arachidonic acid (AA) levels in the carriers of the homozygous genotype for the minor alleles tended to be lower compared with the carriers of the major alleles. However, no significant differences were observed in any FA level among the three genotypes for four SNPs. These results indicate that the appropriate management of serum LDL-C levels depending on genetic predisposition in FADS genotypes should be encouraged.

Fat content and fatty acid profiles of shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa subspecies nilotica) ethno-varieties in Uganda

Fat content and fatty acid composition are important nutritional properties of shea fruits. Farmers in Uganda report the presence of local shea tree ethno-varieties, but it is necessary to investigate their relative fat content and fatty acid composition to evaluate the economic importance of these ethno-varieties. Near infrared spectrophotometry (NIRS) was used to determine the fat content as well as the fatty acid composition of 44 ethno-varieties. Wet chemistry (soxtec petroleum – ether fat extraction and gas chromatography) methods were used to validate the results from NIRS. Fat content ranged from 43.9% to 58.4% while fatty acid composition was dominated by oleic (47–62%) and stearic acid (25–38%). Other fatty acids present were palmitic, vaccenic, linoleic, linolenic and arachidic acids. There was no significant difference in stearic, palmitic and oleic acid composition between ethno-varieties. However, significant variation of fat content, vaccenic and linoleic acids was observed between some ethno-varieties, perhaps due to locality, climatic and tree-to-tree differences. These findings can be utilized for the selection of ethno-varieties that are suitable for commercial production of shea oil in Uganda.

Sublethal effects of azadirachtin on lipid metabolism and sex pheromone biosynthesis of the Asian corn borer Ostrinia furnacalis

Azadirachtin has remarkable toxic and growth inhibitory effects on Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenee) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). In this study, sublethal effects of azadirachtin on fatty acid metabolism and sex pheromone biosynthesis in O. furnacalis were investigated. Quantities of fatty acids were significantly reduced when larvae were fed a diet containing azadirachtin at 0.1–10 ppm. After 10 days, fatty acids were reduced by 50% on a diet treated with 10 ppm azadirachtin; the relative composition of fatty acids was also affected. The relative proportion of C18:2 fatty acid decreased significantly in adult survivors, correlating with decreased fecundity. Furthermore, sex pheromone titers in adults were inversely proportional to dietary azadirachtin concentration, and reduced by 50% relative to controls when larvae were fed a diet containing 10 ppm azadirachtin. However, there were no effects of azadirachtin on pheromone blend ratios. Our results suggest that reductions in fecundity and pheromone titer in O. furnacalis are associated with alterations in lipid metabolism by azadirachtin, although these effects are not linked to a reduction in consumption.

Serial Changes of Fatty Acids in Preterm Breast Milk of Korean Women

Samples of breast milk were collected at postpartum weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 from 104 Korean mothers who had delivered infants at less than 34 weeks or weighing less than 1.8 kg to investigate changes in fatty acid (FAs). Full-term breast milk (FBM) collected at the end of first week postpartum from 26 Korean women delivering healthy, term infants was used for comparison. Stability in relative FA composition was maintained during the first 3 months of lactation in preterm breast milk (PBM), and the relative composition of polyunsaturated FAs (PUFA), monounsaturated FAs, and saturated FAs remained constant in PBM. However, the ω6/ω3 ratio was significantly higher as lactation progressed owing to lower ω3 PUFA in PBM. The proportions of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA) in PBM gradually decreased over time, but the DHA/AA ratio was kept constant at 1.13, higher than that of Western countries. At the end of the first week, relative proportions of FAs were similar in PBM and FBM, but absolute concentrations of FA were higher in PBM.

Trans–fatty acid levels in sperm are associated with sperm concentration among men from an infertility clinic

We measured the sperm fatty acid composition using gas chromatography in anonymized semen samples of 33 men undergoing infertility evaluation at an academic medical center. Trans-fatty acids were present in human sperm and were related inversely to sperm concentration (r = -0.44).

Long‐TE 1H MRS suggests that liver fat is more saturated than subcutaneous and visceral fat

Cross-talk between adipose tissue and liver is disturbed in the metabolic syndrome. Moreover, the relative fatty acid composition of adipose and liver fat is poorly characterized. Long-TE (1)H MRS can determine the unsaturation and polyunsaturation of adipose tissue. The aim of this study was to use long-TE (1)H MRS to determine the composition of liver fat and its relation to adipose tissue composition. Sixteen subjects with increased liver fat (>5%) were recruited for the study. Using TE = 200 ms, we were able to resolve the olefinic (=CH, 5.3 ppm) and water (H(2)O, 4.7 ppm) resonances in liver spectra and to obtain a repeatable estimate of liver fat unsaturation (coefficient of variation, 2.3%). With TE = 135 ms, the diallylic (=C-CH(2)-C=, 2.8 ppm) resonance was detectable in subjects with a liver fat content above 15%. Long-TE (1)H MRS was also used to determine the unsaturation in subcutaneous (n = 16) and visceral (n = 11) adipose tissue in the same subjects. Liver fat was more saturated (double bonds per fatty acid chain, 0.812 ± 0.022) than subcutaneous (double bonds per fatty acid chain, 0.862 ± 0.022, p < 0.0004) or visceral (double bonds per fatty acid chain, 0.865 ± 0.033, p < 0.0004) fat. Liver fat unsaturation correlated with subcutaneous unsaturation (R = 0.837, p < 0.0001) and visceral unsaturation (R = 0.879, p < 0.0004). The present study introduces a new noninvasive method for the assessment of the composition of liver fat. The results suggest that liver fat is more saturated than subcutaneous or visceral adipose tissue, which may be attributed to differences in de novo lipogenesis.

Analysis of interspecific variation in relative fatty acid composition: use of flow cytometry to estimate unsaturation index and relative polyunsaturated fatty acid content in microalgae

Relative polyunsaturated fatty acid content and unsaturation index are very important composition variables in the use of microalgae both for animal and human nutrition and biofuel production. A readily available technique to rapidly and inexpensively estimate relative fatty acid composition is very important for mass screening of new strains for the production of different types of oil. This study demonstrates the validity of Nile Red staining and flow cytometry for quick estimation of unsaturation index and relative fatty acid content in microalgae. Nile Red staining allows polar and neutral lipid contents to be estimated, and in this study a significant correlation was observed between polar/neutral ratio and fatty acid content in the species studied, corresponding to higher polyunsaturated fatty acid content in the polar lipid fraction of microalgae. This technique enables quick estimation of relative polyunsaturated fatty acid content and interspecific variation, as well as variations caused by culture conditions. In the species studied, most variability in fatty acid composition was due to variation in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, with less variation observed in saturated fatty acid content.

Estimate by means of flow cytometry of variation in composition of fatty acids from Tetraselmis suecica in response to culture conditions

The present work shows the possibility of determining variations in the lipid composition in Tetraselmis suecica under different conditions of culture by means of flow cytometry in cells marked with Nile Red (NR). A significant correlation was observed between the cellular contents in polar and neutral lipids and the cytometric signal of the marked cells. Likewise, there was a significant correlation between the ratio of polar and neutral lipids, estimated by cytometry, and the relative composition of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in Tetraselmis, which corresponded to the greater content of PUFAs detected in the polar lipid fraction of this microalgae. This relationship between the polar/neutral ratio and the relative contents of PUFAs, together with the flow cytometry and the marking by means of NR, would make it possible to have an effective indicator of the abundance of PUFAs in Tetraselmis, as well as the development of techniques of massive screening of strains which are hyperproductive of PUFAs and of rapid checking of the variations in lipid composition in response to cultivation conditions, which are much simpler and more rapid than traditional techniques.