Important Unsaturated Fatty Acids Research Articles

Transcriptome analysis reveals the synergistic involvement of MGLL and LPIN1 in fatty acid synthesis in broiler pectoral muscles

Fatty acids (FAs) are one of the most important bioactive compounds affecting the quality of meat. In this study, we compared the expression profiles of genes involved in FA production in the breast muscle of Jingxing Yellow chickens at different days of age determined by transcriptomic analysis to identify key genes and pathways regulating the FA composition of the breast muscle. Through clustering analysis of gene expression data, the growth process of broiler chickens can be divided into two stages, namely the growth and development stage at the 35th and 63rd days of age (D35, D63), and the mature stage at the 119th day of age (D119). The content of some important unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), such as C18:2n6c, C20:4n6, and C22:6n3, in the pectoral muscles, differed significantly between these two stages (p < 0.05). Therefore, we compared the gene expression profiles at D35 and D63 with those at D119, and identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The gene modules related to the five UFAs with significant changes were identified by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), and then 150 crossover genes were identified by crossover analysis of the detected DEGs and WGCNA. The results of the pathway enrichment analysis revealed the glycerolipid metabolism pathway related to lipid metabolism, in which the MGLL and LPIN1 genes were particularly enriched. In this study, the expression levels of MGLL and LPIN1 showed an increasing trend during the growth process of broilers, with a negative regulatory effect on the significantly reduced content of C18:2n6c in the pectoral muscle, and a positive regulatory effect on the significantly increased content of C20:4n6. These findings indicated that MGLL and LPIN1 synergistically promote the deposition of FAs, which may further promote the conversion of linoleic acid (C18:2n6c) to arachidonic acid (C20:4n6). Therefore, screening and identifying FA production-related functional genes are key to elucidate the regulatory molecular mechanism of production of FAs in chicken muscle, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for improving chicken meat quality.

Improving the functional value of meat quality by feeding with protected fat supplementation in Morkaraman lambs

ABSTRACT This study investigated the effect of feeding different levels of protected fat (calcium soaps of tallow) on fattening performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality, fatty acid composition of Longissimus Thoracis (LT) muscle and economic evaluation of 45 fat-tailed Morkaraman male lambs. The lambs were randomly divided into three groups including a control diet without protected fat (CON), supplemented with 2% protected fat (group PF2), and supplemented with 4% protected fat (group PF4) during the fattening period. Eight lambs randomly selected from each group were slaughtered to determine carcass characteristics and meat quality. Supplementing protected fat significantly improved the fattening performance and carcass characteristics (p<0.05). The groups were similar in terms of pH, colour, ether extract, dry matter and sensory evaluations, except for the crude protein of group PF2. Myristic acid and stearic acid (p<0.05), which are saturated fatty acids (SFA), were decreased with the supplementation of protected fat, while palmitic acid was increased (p<0.01). The fattening with protected fat had a highly significant positive effect on important unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid (p<0.01) and resulted in an increase of approximately 91% in the conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) (p<0.05). SFA was significantly decreased, and health indicators were improved (p<0.01). In conclusion, the supplementation of protected fat had a positive effect on fattening performance, carcass traits, chemical, sensory properties and economic evaluation.

Mie Krill: Incorporation of Indigenous Udang Saih (Sumatran Krill) Extract Containing Astaxanthin and Essential Fatty Acids into an Instant Noodle Product Made from Composite Flour

Indonesia is an archipelagic country. One can be found as the indigenous specimen alongside the coastal part of the country is the Sumatran Krill (SK), commonly known as ‘Udang Saih’ which can be found in Padang, West Sumatra. While the local people use it to make traditional condiment (like shrimp paste), the krill itself could be extracted to create more valuable products since it contains various important unsaturated fatty acids such as omega-3, omega-6, omega-7, and omega-9 and the powerful antioxidant carotenoid named astaxanthin. Astaxanthin as the main carotenoid in SK extract offers several health benefits such as anti-inflammatory properties, support immune system modulation, as well as maintaining brain, cardiovascular, and eye health. In this study, we aim to incorporate the SK extract into an instant noodle product. In addition, we used the composite flours consisted of high-protein wheat flour (WF) and yellow sweet potato flour (YSPF) which are rich in β-Carotene as a vitamin A precursor, to further enhance its eye health property. The instant noodle prototype (M2) was made from a mixture of YSPF (40 g), WF (40 g), super-concentrated astaxanthin in sunflower oil (8 mL), and super-concentrated astaxanthin (2.4 mL) had the highest score of sensory attributes. This instant noodle prototype was claimed to contain astaxanthin, essential fatty acids, and provitamin A carotenoid as well as low in gluten content. Therefore, this instant noodle prototype is believed to increase the health benefits and can be well accepted in society.

Herbal foodstuffs in Avicenna's recommended diet to improve sperm quality and increase male fertility; an evidence-based approach.

Attention to diet was considered important issues in improvement of men infertility in Persian Medicine (PM). The purpose of this study was to extract herbal foodstuffs introduced by Avicenna, one of the greatest PM physicians to improve the semen production and to provide evidence of their impact on the basis of current studies."Canon of Medicine", the most important Avecinna's book, was searched with keywords equivalent to semen, fertility and infertility, main herbal foodstuffs were extracted and was searched with keywords sperm, semen, infertility, and fertility in Google scholar, PubMed and Scopus databases. Manuscripts from 1950 up to December 2019 were selected and reviewed. Almond, Onion, Chickpea, Garlic, Coconut, Palm date, Sesame, Fenugreek, Carrot, Fig, Grapes, Pistachio, Hazelnut and Walnut are among main foodstuffs which recommended by Avicenna and there is also evidence that they have positive effects on testosterone production and improvement of various sperm parameters, including count, motility and morphology. Containing large amount of different macro and micronutrients such as vitamins including vit B, C, A and E, minerals such as Mg, Se, Zn, Cu and Fe, important unsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic and oleic acids, amino acids such as lysine and arginine and phytochemicals such as polyphenols, flavonoids, triterpenes and steroids can be considered as a main factor in the effectiveness of these foodstuffs. Designing a diet based onthe fruits, vegetables, nuts and seedsthat Avicenna has recommended, may be effective in treating male infertility but further studies are needed to clarify this issue. Research on the effectiveness of his other recommended foodsuffs may also offer new treatments and supplements for this purpose.

Nutritional Composition of Seed Kernel and Oil of Wild Edible Plant Species from Western Himalaya, India

ABSTRACT Wild edibles and non-cultivated plants were significantly contributing to nutritional security and livelihood in rural areas of Himalayan region. The rich nutritional value and diversity of secondary metabolites in these plants escaped proper recognition; hence, warranted systematic and research investigation. The present study focuses on the assessment of nutritional composition of three underutilized wild edible fruits i.e. Prinsepia utilis Royle, Prunus persica L. and Neolitsea pallens D.Don. growing wildly in Western Himalaya. The seed kernels of all the selected species were found to be rich sources of nutrients (e.g., lipids, carbohydrates and proteins), minerals (e.g., phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron and sodium) and energy value. Edible oil obtained from seed kernels of P. utilis and P. persica were found rich in essential fatty acid (linolenic acid), important unsaturated (omega-6 & omega-9) and saturated fatty acids. Among these, seed kernels of P. utilis possessed maximum quantity of carbohydrate (20.6%) and crude fiber (14.57%), whereas, fat content (70.40%) and energy value (720k cal/100 g) were found maximum for Neolitsea pallens. The results of this study indicated potential of selected species in combating nutritional insecurity.

Total phenolics, antioxidant activities and fatty acid profiles of six Morchella species.

In present study, total phenolic compound, antioxidant activities and fatty acids of several Morchella species collected from different regions of Turkey were determined. Six species were detected, namely Morchella dunalii (HT562), M. purpurascens group (HT565, HT592, HT662, HT699), M. deliciosa (HT682), M. mediterraneensis (HT698), M. importuna (HT667, HT681) and M. esculenta (HT704). The highest phenolic content was determined in the collection numbered as HT565 (281.96mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g dry weight), followed by HT699, HT562, HT662, HT592, HT698, HT704, HT681, HT667 and HT682. Antioxidant activities were also evaluated by DPPH and FRAP assays and the maximum (0.51 and 1.04mmol trolox equivalent (TE)/g dry weight respectively) was observed in HT565. The results for the fatty acids composition showed that assessed Morchella species were rich in nutritionally important unsaturated fatty acids and oleic acid, palmitoleic acid, linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid and myristic acid were the identified compounds. Linoleic acid was the most common in samples like HT565, HT592, HT704, HT662, HT682 and HT667 and followed by oleic acid except in HT565. In HT681, HT698, HT699 and HT562, oleic acid was dominant and followed by linoleic acid. The ratios of unsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids were calculated as 10.79, 4.78, 6.80, 8.09, 6.67, 4.35, 8.70, 8.64, 7.90 and 7.43 in HT562, HT565, HT592, HT662, HT667, HT681, HT682, HT698, HT699 and HT704 respectively. The sampling locations and species of Morels had influenced the bioactivities and fatty acid compositions of specimens.

Quantification of prostaglandins in rat uterus by ultra high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry based on derivatization with analogous reagents

Prostaglandins (PGs) are vitally important unsaturated fatty acids involved in arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism, participating in numerous pathophysiological processes, especially in maintaining the homeostasis of uterus. Therefore, quantitative analysis of PGs is of great importance for uncovering potential mechanisms of PGs related diseases. However, methods for determining PGs in uterine samples have not been reported. In this study, an ultra high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method was established to quantify PGs in uterine samples, using N,N-Dimethylethylenediamine (DMED) and N,N-Diethylethylenediamine (DEED) as derivatization reagents. The derivatization could be finished at 37 °C for 30 min catalyzed by 1-N,N,N',N'-Tetramethyl-O-(7-azabenzotriazol-1-yl) uronium hexafluorophosphate (HATU). This is a mild condition suitable for most of biological samples. The DMED labeling of PGs could significantly enhance their response compared to those of underived ones. This method exhibited excellent linearity (R2 > 0.997) and precision for the determination of PGs in uterine samples (CV ≤ 12.9%). The extraction recoveries of PGs were ranged from 83.0 to 100% and matrix effects were ranged from 86.3 to 106%, indicating DEED labeled standards could be used as internal standards for PGs quantification. With the proposed method, we successfully quantified PGs in rat uterus. The results showed their levels were significant changed in abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) rats, suggesting that PGs might be involved in the pathological process of AUB. This established analogous reagents derivatization based UHPLC-MS/MS method could be used as a powerful tool to monitor PGs, providing insights to the precise mechanism of PG action on the endometrium.

Impact of pumpkin seed oil and coffee treatment on the characteristics of semi-hard cheese

Semi-hard cheese was made from fresh domestic cow milk and treated with pumpkin seed oil and coffee during its ageing. The energy value and composition of the cheese were examined by determining the content of dry matter, minerals, proteins, fat, caffeine and fatty acids. During the ageing period, the cheese was dipped into a sweet, freshly-prepared, high-quality coffee drink and coated with a mixture of milled coffee grains and cold pressed pumpkin seed oil to improve the sensory properties of the cheese, but also to improve its nutritional value. It is considered that treated cheese could have greater nutritional and pro-health properties then untreated cheese, due to nutritional and healing properties of pumpkin seed oil and coffee used during the maturation period. Pumpkin seed oil contains carbohydrates, minerals, proteins, and important unsaturated fatty acids, while coffee is rich in antioxidants and helps in the prevention of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, and high cholesterol. To determine the impact of the treatment, the fatty acid and caffeine contents were determined by the GC-FID and the UPLC-DAD method. The cheese treated with pumpkin seed oil and coffee had a higher amount of unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) and a lower amount of saturated fatty acids (SFA) than the untreated cheese. The proportions of long-chain UFA, such as the C18:2n6c (Omega 6) and the C18:3n3 (Omega 3), were higher in the treated cheese than those in the untreated cheese, as well as the C20:1, the C22:2 and the C24:1, which were not detected in the untreated cheese. Caffeine concentration in the treated cheese was 33.08 mg/L.

Organic and Mineral Composition of Seeds of Afrostyrax lepidophyllus Mildbr. and Evaluation of ROS Inhibition and Cytotoxicity of Isolated Compounds

Considering the large consumption of Afrostyrax Lepidophyllus seeds, chemical analyses is necessary to ascertain its use as food spice and also its medicinal potential. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and gas chromatography mass spectrometry were used to evaluate the mineral and volatile contents respectively while column chromatography enabled the isolation of some compounds. Seventeen compounds were identified by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Amongst detected sulphur containing compounds, methylsulfinyl(methylthio) methane was in highest amount with percentage composition of 12.25%. Fatty acids and their methyl esters were most abundant constituents notably n-hexadecanoic acid (28.86%) and methyl (E)-9-octadecenoate (21.85%). Some important unsaturated fatty acids notably linoleic acid and oleic acid were identified. Major elements detected in the sample were sodium (42,137.57 ppb), magnesium (456.90 ppb), phosphorus (1703.31 ppb), potassium (4948.88 ppb) and calcium (88.37 ppb. Trace elements detected in the sample are Cr (0.81 ppb), Mn (5.66 ppb), Fe (107.08 ppb), Co (0.14 ppb), Ni (6.77 ppb), Cu (50.05 ppb), Zn (32.06 ppb) and B (6.65 ppb). Other detected elements involved Al (42.25 ppb) and Pb (2.63 ppb) while Cd and Hg were below detectable limits. Five compounds were isolated and identified from their NMR spectral data as tripalmitin (AL23), n-hexadecanoic acid (AL40-45), ursolic acid (AL65), stigmasterol glycoside (AL192) and saccharose (AS329). Ursolic acid showed moderate ROS inhibition with IC50 = 18.5 ± 3.1 µg/mL compared to 11.2 ± 1.9 µg/mL for ibuprofen. NO inhibition and cytotoxicity on NIH-3T3 cell lines were low for tested compounds. This study fills knowledge gap on chemical analyses of A. lepidophyllus.

GC-MS and LC-MS based phytochemical profiling and quantification of Mangiferin in six species of Salacia from the Western Ghats of India

The Salacia is a genus of plants in the family Celastraceae belongs to the ma-jor group Angiosperms. Several species in this genus have been used in tradi-tional medicine. Very limited phytochemical studies have been reported so far in Salacia from Western Ghats of Karnataka. Hence the aim of the pre-sent study was to screen the phytochemical compounds and quantitative analysis of mangiferin content in six species of Salacia. Which were found to be adequate to evaluate the raw material and can also be used as reference standards for the quality control/quality assurance purposes. The quantita-tive profiling of phytochemicals were analysed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and the concentration of mangiferin compound present in stem and root samples were quantified using High performance liquid chromatography method. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of a vast array of phytoconstituents such as fatty acids, saturated hydrocarbons, het-erocyclic compounds associated with different plant parts. HPLC analysis has shown the presence of mangiferin in all the six species of Salacia, whereas S. chinensis root extract showed highest quantity of mangiferin. S. malabarica, S. oblonga and S. gambleana leaf extract contains the important unsaturated fatty acids and vitamin d-alpha tocopherol which have proven to attenuate oxidative stress and having anti-inflammatory effects. It can be noted that S. chinensis and S. oblonga extract contains higher level of poly unsaturated phytochemical compounds. The study identified that S. chinensis and S. ob-longa could be the most promising raw material for anti-diabetic drug formu-lations based on the phytoconstituent and mangiferin content.

Effects of Solid-State Fermentation and the Potential Use of Cassava By-products as Fermented Food

By-products such as cassava bagasse and leaves are discarded though they contain high amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, fat and minerals. The application of solid-state fermentation (SSF) to substrates containing these by-products could improve the bioavailability of nutrients while reducing the amounts of anti-nutritive factors such as cyanide. To evaluate the possibility of using by-products from cassava some techniques, such as colorimetric methods, gas chromatography and high performance of liquid chromatography were applied to evaluate the total cyanide, carbohydrate contents, to characterize the fatty acid profiles, and estimate the essential amino acids after the fermentation process. After the SSF process, the cyanide content was significantly decreased. The profile of essential amino acids showed high concentrations of histidine, isoleucine, valine, methionine and phenylalanine. Some important unsaturated fatty acids were found, such as linoleic acid (18:29,12); α-linolenic acid (18:39,12,15); 11-eicosenoic acid (20:1) and 13,16-docosadienoic acid (22:2). The evaluation of the protein quality showed a significant increase in its bioavailability. The results support the conclusion that currently not used agricultural by-products could become sources of food that provide important quantities of essential nutrients.

Nitrite-induced testicular toxicity in rats: therapeutic potential of walnut oil.

Objective:To determine the impact of walnut oil on nitrite-induced testicular toxicity in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Available evidence suggests that walnut oil contains high levels of important unsaturated fatty acids including alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and omega-3; nitrite is a reproductive toxicant that causes the loss of germ cells in the seminiferous tubules and generates oxidative stress in the testes, thus reducing sperm counts and affecting sperm morphology.Methods:This study included 24 male and 24 female adult SD rats. The male rats randomly assigned to Group A (controls) were given normal saline 2 ml/kg. The rats in Groups B, C, and D were given 50mg/kg body weight (bwt) of walnut oil, 0.08 mg/kg bwt of nitrite, and 0.08 mg/kg bwt of nitrite + 50 mg/kg of walnut oil respectively for 28 days via gastric gavage. Tested parameters included: testicular histology, sperm parameters, reproductive hormones, fertility, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione, and catalase (CAT).Results:A severe decrease in spermatogenic cell series, hypocellularity, tubular atrophy, decreased sperm quality, and increased MDA levels were observed in the rats given nitrite only when compared to controls. Rats given 50 mg/kg of walnut oil had significant growth of seminiferous epithelium compared to controls. The rats given walnut oil and nitrite had significant growth of seminiferous epithelium, improved sperm quality, and had decreased MDA levels.Conclusion:Walnut oil attenuated the deleterious effects of nitrite to the testes, reduced oxidative stress, and promoted spermatogenesis.

Study on fatty acids composition of lipid class in fish oil, proximate analysis and calorie value of kijar in Iran

This aim of this research was to determine fatty acids and raw proximate composition and calorie value of fish Kijar in Iran. The fatty acids and proximate composition Kijar was determined. The established AOAC (Association of Official Agricultural Chemist, USA) methods were followed for composition bio chemical of fish. Mean moisture, fat, protein, ash, carbohydrate contents and calorie value of raw fish were 70.81%, 5.88%, 17.80%, 3.41%, 2.1% and 132.52 kcal, respectively. Among fatty acids, palmitic acid was a major fatty acid while stearic acid was the other major constituent. Unsaturated monoenoic fatty acids (oleic and palmitoleic acids were major constituents. Important unsaturated fatty acids such as EPA and DHA, were also identified. percentage composition of fatty acids in the lipid classes of oil of Saurida undosquamis which the saturated fatty acids ranges from 58% to 72.14%. Palmitic acid is predominant and its composition ranges 38.64% to 48.98% while stearic acid ranges from 11.35% to 19.50%. Among unsaturated fatty acids, monoenoic are the major fatty acids. Oleic acid ranges from 12.15% to 27.48%. It is concluded that fish kijar found as health seafood for Iranian southern peoples form point of view of nutritional values and valuable fatty acids. Therefore it is recommended people put this fish in diet basket and it consumed three times in the week.

BIOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND NUTRITIONAL EVALUATION OF BARLEY RIHANE (HORDEUM VULGARE L.).

Background:Many experimental studies have suggested an important role for barley Rihane(BR)in the prevention of colon cancer and cardiovascular diseases. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physico-chemical properties and nutritional characterizations of BR compared to other varieties grown in Tunisia (Manel, Roho and Tej).Material and Methods:Total, insoluble and soluble dietary fiber(β-glucan), total protein, ash and some minerals of BR and Tunisian barley varieties were determined.Results:The results revealed that BR is good source of dietary fiber mainly β-glucan compared to the other varieties. This variety is a relatively rich source of phosphorous and potassium and it contains many important unsaturated fatty acids. BR has higher nutritional value than other varieties.Conclusion:Barley Rihane has significant nutritional characterizations compared to others Tunisian barleys varieties.Abbreviations: BR, Barley Rihane; LDL, low density lipoprotein; HDL, high density lipoprotein; AOM, azoxymethane; TBV, Tunisian barley varieties; TGW, thousand grain weight; SW, weight specific; TDF, total dietary fiber; IDF, insoluble dietary fiber; SDF, soluble dietary fiber; DM, Dry Matter.

Does a parasite infestation change the nutritional value of an insect? Varroa mites on honey bees as a model

The impact of parasites on the nutritional value of their hosts may be an important issue that has to be studied in considering insects as future food and feed for humans and animals. The ectoparasiteVarroa mite (Varroa destructor) was chosen as an experimental model: it affects bee colonies and largely endangers the honey production. Honey bee (Apis mellifera) brood is largely used as human food in tropical regions and has a great potential to become a future source of proteins and other nutritional and health components, in particular because beekeeping is based on deep knowledge and well developed technologies in great parts of the world. The impact of infestation ofVarroa on the nutritive qualities of honey bee brood is barely known. We compared the main components of infested and parasite free pupae, harvested from the same colonies. We found thatVarroa mites decreased the mean fresh weight from 124±6.9 to 118±4.1 mg (mean ± standard deviation), elevated the intensity of one protein band (50.2 KDa) among nine and enhanced the superoxide dismutase activity from 9.5±0.3 to 14.6±0.2% but not catalase and peroxidase activity. The parasite did not change the dry weight percentage (19.5±1.9%), total lipid titration (16.9±2.3%), crude protein (57.2±6.1%) and cholesterol levels (6.7±1.3 mg/100 g fresh weight). The fatty acid composition and their proportions were not altered either, among them three very important unsaturated fatty acids (FAs): omega-3, omega-6 and oleic acid/omega-9. Long chained FAs were detected in small quantities, less than 1%. The total antioxidant activity remained the same as of not-infested pupae. In conclusion, the impact ofVarroa mites on the nutritional value of honey bee pupae could be considered as minor.

Nutritional quality and health benefits of chickpea (Cicer arietinumL.): a review

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important pulse crop grown and consumed all over the world, especially in the Afro-Asian countries. It is a good source of carbohydrates and protein, and protein quality is considered to be better than other pulses. Chickpea has significant amounts of all the essential amino acids except sulphur-containing amino acids, which can be complemented by adding cereals to the daily diet. Starch is the major storage carbohydrate followed by dietary fibre, oligosaccharides and simple sugars such as glucose and sucrose. Although lipids are present in low amounts, chickpea is rich in nutritionally important unsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic and oleic acids. β-Sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol are important sterols present in chickpea oil. Ca, Mg, P and, especially, K are also present in chickpea seeds. Chickpea is a good source of important vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, folate and the vitamin A precursor β-carotene. As with other pulses, chickpea seeds also contain anti-nutritional factors which can be reduced or eliminated by different cooking techniques. Chickpea has several potential health benefits, and, in combination with other pulses and cereals, it could have beneficial effects on some of the important human diseases such as CVD, type 2 diabetes, digestive diseases and some cancers. Overall, chickpea is an important pulse crop with a diverse array of potential nutritional and health benefits.

Effect of Annatto Seed and Coriander Leaves as Natural Antioxidants in Fish Meatballs during Frozen Storage

The effects of annatto (0.1 g/100g) and coriander (0.5 g/100g) were assessed against lipid oxidation in white hake meatballs cooked in boiling water (95 ± 1 °C) for 30 min and stored at -18 °C for 120 d. The fatty acids (FA) and the nutritional quality, cholesterol, cholesterol oxides, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values, and conjugated dienes were analyzed to follow the course of oxidation. Annatto and coriander were efficient in the control of lipid oxidation, also preserving the essential FA. At 120 d of storage, the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) concentration decreased respectively by 43%, 32%, 12%, and 9% in the control, coriander, annatto, and annatto + coriander patties. For docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), these concentrations decreased, respectively, 44%, 30%, 11%, and 7%, revealing a probable synergistic effect among the antioxidant compounds present in both spices. On the other hand, annatto and coriander were not able to act protecting the meatballs against lipid oxidation when they were cooked, also not exerted any effect in the cholesterol oxidation. Spices, especially coriander and annatto, can be an alternative to substitute synthetic additives with antioxidants to prevent loss of important unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) in fish meatballs during frozen storage for 120 d. The maximum effect was observed when 0.5% coriander and 0.1% annatto were used in combination. Cooking did not induce the formation of cholesterol oxides, compounds that can cause more health damages than cholesterol itself; however, during storage the cholesterol oxides levels presented a little increase regardless of spice addition.

Isolation and characterization of unsaturated fatty acids during bacteriorhodopsin preparation from Halobacterium halobium

Isolation and characterization of unsaturated fatty acids during bacteriorhodopsin preparation from Halobacterium halobium. Halobacterium halobium was cultivated in a composite medium. Cells were collected by centrifugation followed by ultrasonic disruption, and the resulting suspension was subject to centrifugation for preparation of both pellet and supernatant. The pellet was saved in order to prepare bacteriorhodopsin, while the supernatant was used for the isolation of crude fatty acids by saponification and extraction. Crystallization then took place in acetone at -16 degrees C to remove fatty acids in which the carbon chain length was shorter than 13. The sample was obtained after purification and analysed by gas chromatography. The results demonstrated that Halobacterium halobium could synthesize multiple unsaturated fatty acids, particularly the three important polyunsaturated fatty acids arachidonic acid (1.12%), eicosapentaenoic acid (16.76%) and docosahexaenoic acid (9.38%). Important unsaturated fatty acids were isolated and characterized from the waste, which was produced during the preparation of bacteriorhodopsin from Halobacterium halobium. Halobacterium halobium has already been used for decades to prepare bacteriorhodopsin. We found that several important unsaturated fatty acids could be extracted from the bacterial waste, which extends its application scope and might bring additional benefits to humanity.

HIGH‐RESOLUTION MAGIC ANGLE SPINNING NMR ANALYSIS OF WHOLE CELLS OF CHAETOCEROS MUELLERI (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE) AND COMPARISON WITH 13C‐NMR AND DISTORTIONLESS ENHANCEMENT BY POLARIZATION TRANSFER 13C‐NMR ANALYSIS OF LIPOPHILIC EXTRACTS1

Lipid composition in extracted samples of Chaetoceros muelleri Lemmermann was studied with 13C‐NMR and distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer (DEPT) 13C‐NMR, resulting in well‐resolved 13C‐NMR spectra with characteristic resonance signals from carboxylic, olefinic, glyceryl, methylene, and methyl groups. The application of a DEPT pulse sequence aided in the assignment of methylene and methine groups. Resonance signals were compared with literature references, and signal assignment included important unsaturated fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic and also phospholipids and glycerols. Results from the extracted samples were used to assign resonance signals in a high‐resolution magic angle spinning (HR MAS) DEPT 13C spectrum from whole cells of C. muelleri. The NMR analysis on whole cells yielded equally good information on fatty acids and also revealed signals from carbohydrates and amino acids. Broad resonance signals and peak overlapping can be a problem in whole cell analysis, but we found that application of HR MAS gave a well‐resolved spectrum. The chemical shift of metabolites in an NMR spectrum depends on the actual environment of nuclei during analysis, and some differences could therefore be expected between extracted and whole cell samples. The shift differences were small, and assignment from analysis of lipophilic extract could be used to identify peaks in the whole cell spectrum. HR MAS 13C‐NMR therefore offers a possibility for broad‐range metabolic profiling directly on whole cells, simultaneously detecting metabolites that are otherwise not detected in the same analytical set up and avoiding tedious extraction procedures.

Crystal structures of human serum albumin complexed with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids

The primary ligands of human serum albumin (HSA), an abundant plasma protein, are non-esterified fatty acids. In vivo, the majority of fatty acids associated with the protein are unsaturated. We present here the first high-resolution crystal structures of HSA complexed with two important unsaturated fatty acids, the monounsaturated oleic acid (C18:1) and the polyunsaturated arachidonic acid (C20:4). Both compounds are observed to occupy the seven binding sites distributed across the protein that are also bound by medium and long-chain saturated fatty acids. Although C18:1 fatty acid binds each site on HSA in a conformation almost identical with that of the corresponding saturated compound (C18:0), the presence of multiple cis double bonds in C20:4 induces distinct binding configurations at some sites. The observed restriction on binding configurations plausibly accounts for differences in the pattern of binding affinities for the primary sites between polyunsaturated fatty acids and their saturated or monounsaturated counterparts.