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Background: Extracellular vesicles in human milk are critical in supporting newborn growth and development. Bioavailability of dietary extracellular vesicles may depend on the composition of membrane lipids. Single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the fatty acid desaturase gene cluster impact the content of long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in human milk phospholipids. This study investigated the relation between variation in FADS1 and FADS2 with the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in extracellular vesicles from human milk. Methods: Milk was obtained from a cohort of mothers (N = 70) at 2–4 weeks of lactation. SNPs in the FADS gene locus were determined using pyrosequencing for rs174546 in FADS1 and rs174575 in FADS2. Quantitative lipidomic analysis of polyunsaturated fatty acids in human milk and extracellular vesicles from human milk was completed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Results: The rs174546 and rs174575 genotypes were independent predictors of the arachidonic acid content in extracellular vesicles. The rs174546 genotype also predicted eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in extracellular vesicles. The reduced content of long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in extracellular vesicles in human milk may be due to lower fatty acid desaturase activity in mothers who are carriers of the A allele in rs174546 or the G allele in rs174575. Conclusion: The polyunsaturated fatty acid composition of milk extracellular vesicles is predicted by the FADS genotype. These findings yield novel insights regarding extracellular vesicle content and composition that can inform the design of future research to explore how lipid metabolites impact the bioavailability of human milk extracellular vesicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biological activity of an oil not only depends on its fatty acid composition but also the lipid composition and trace components. In this paper, to select the optimal mushroom oil, the component compositions (fatty acids, lipids, polyphenols, flavones, tocopherols, and unsaponifiable matters) and antioxidant activities in vitro of four mushroom oils (Agrocybe cylindracea, two Lentinula edodes, and Volvariella volvacea) were investigated and compared. The results showed that the four tested oils had the same fatty acid composition in different amounts, but the lipid component, minor components, and free radical scavenging activity in the tested oils varied widely depending on the type of mushroom. Overall, Volvariella volvacea oil was considered superior to the other three tested oils, as it had the largest contents of polar lipids, diglycerides, polyunsaturated fatty acids (74.38%), unsaponifiable matter (319.09 mg/kg), total phenols (124.08 mg/100 g), tocopherols (139.86 mg/100 g), as well as the highest ABTS and FRAP values (349.45 and 3801.70 μmol Trolox/100 g). This finding suggests that Volvariella volvacea oil is a promising resource that should be further researched. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One persistent puzzle in the life sciences is the asymmetric lipid composition of the cellular plasma membrane: while the exoplasmic leaflet is enriched in lipids carrying predominantly saturated fatty acids, the cytoplasmic leaflet hosts preferentially lipids with (poly‐)unsaturated fatty acids. Given the high energy requirements necessary for cells to maintain this asymmetry, the question naturally arises regarding its inherent benefits. In this paper, we propose asymmetry to represent a potential solution for harmonizing two conflicting requirements for the plasma membrane: first, the need to build a barrier for the uncontrolled influx or efflux of substances; and second, the need to form a fluid and dynamic two‐dimensional substrate for signaling processes. We hence view here the plasma membrane as a composite material, where the exoplasmic leaflet is mainly responsible for the functional integrity of the barrier and the cytoplasmic leaflet for fluidity. We reinforce the validity of the proposed mechanism by presenting quantitative data from the literature, along with multiple examples that bolster our model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of temperature on the fatty acids profile and the effects of temperature on the degree of unsaturation of fatty acids of Oreochromis niloticus were investigated. The analysis was performed by gas chromatography. The study showed that there were large temperature variations (10.0–32.0°C) during the study period (January–December). The highest crude fat content was found in January (3380 mg/100 g) and the lowest in June (2050 mg/100 g). The fatty acids profile showed significantly different diversity (p < 0.05). Total saturated fatty acid (∑SFA) content ranged from 409.54 to 1297.61 mg/100 g, monounsaturated fatty acid (∑MUFA) from 207.68 to 665.81 mg/100 g, and polyunsaturated fatty acid (∑PUFA) from 175.12 to 972.23 mg/100 g. The ∑MUFA and ∑PUFA concentrations were highest in January and lowest in June, and the ∑SFA concentration was lowest in January and highest in June. EPA and DHA contents were highest in January (198.96 mg/100 g) and lowest in June (48.76 mg/100 g). The contents of omega‐3 (653.17 mg/100 g) and omega‐6 fatty acids (252.54 mg/100 g) were highest in January and lowest in June (ω‐3; 106.43 and ω‐6; 60.91 mg/100 g). It concluded that the degree of unsaturation of fatty acids increases with decreasing temperature. In this study, the nutritional quality of the FAs profile was assessed using lipid quality indices. The indices indicating dietary quality of lipids by their values: Atherogenic index (0.47), thrombogenic index (0.38), hypocholesterolemic to hypercholesterolemic (3.00), meat fat quality (6.78), ω6/ω3 ratio (0.39), PUFA/SFA (2.37), MUFA/SFA (1.62), PUFA/MUFA (1.46), and PUFA + MUFA/SFA (3.99). These values are within the recommended range, indicating that the lipid profile of O. niloticus has high nutritional quality, which can be further improved by harvesting the fish during the winter season. Due to the nutritional importance of O. niloticus, the culture of this species could have significant interest to the people of Karachi, especially the coastal communities. To promote the nutritional diet in local population, the government should support the aquaculture of Nile tilapia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Zooxanthella nutricula is a photosynthetic dinoflagellate symbiont of polycystine radiolarians. As such, it is hypothesized to provide fixed organic carbon, including in the form of acylglycerolipids and sterols, to its non‐photosynthetic host. We have previously characterized the sterols of Z. nutricula that may be transferred to its host and, in the present study, have turned our attention to three classes of fatty acid‐containing lipids, chloroplast‐associated galactolipids, betaine lipids, which are non‐phosphorylated phospholipid analogs present in many eukaryotes, and triglycerides. Zooxanthella nutricula was observed using positive‐ion electrospray/mass spectrometry (ESI/MS) and ESI/MS/MS to produce the galactolipids mono‐ and digalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG and DGDG, respectively) enriched in octadecapentaenoic (18:5(n‐3)) and octadecatetraenoic (18:4(n‐3)) acid to place it within a group of peridinin‐containing dinoflagellates in a C18/C18 (sn‐1/sn‐2 fatty acid regiochemistry) cluster, as opposed to another cluster with C20/C18 MGDG and DGDG, where the C20 fatty acid is eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5(n‐3)) and the C18 fatty acid is either 18:5(n‐3) or 18:4(n‐3). Zooxanthella nutricula was also observed to produce 38:10 (total number of fatty acid carbons:total number of double bonds), 38:6, and 44:7 diacylglycerylcarboxyhydroxymethylcholine (DGCC) as the sole type of betaine lipid. Although it is more difficult to determine which fatty acids are present in the sn‐1 and sn‐2 positions on the glycerol backbone of DGCC using ESI/MS/MS, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS)‐based examination indicated the putatively DGCC‐associated polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) docosahexaenoic acid (22:6(n‐3)). Coupled with the C18 PUFAs of MGDG and DGDG, and fatty acids associated with triglycerides (also examined via GC/MS), Z. nutricula could serve as a rich source of PUFAs for its radiolarian host. These data demonstrate that Z. nutricula produces a similar set of PUFA‐containing lipids as Symbiodinium microadriaticum, a photosynthetic dinoflagellate symbiont of cnidarians, indicating a metabolic commonality in these phylogenetically discrete dinoflagellate symbionts with unrelated host organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the metabolic adaptation and lipid utilization to overwintering in Onychostoma macrolepis (27.05 ± 1.79 g), fish were sampled at 0, 75, and 150 days, respectively. Fish were randomly reared into three outdoor tanks (water temperature range:0–10°C). After overwintering, body weight, viscera index, hepatopancreas index, and intraperitoneal fat index were significantly lower than before (p < 0.05). In liver, the contents of monounsaturated fatty acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) were observed to be the lowest and the highest after 150 days of overwintering, respectively (p < 0.05). In serum, the concentrations of triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol significantly decreased while the activities of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase significantly increased at Day 75 (p < 0.05). Hepatic antioxidant activities were significantly lower whereas malondialdehyde content was significantly higher at Day 150 (p < 0.05). Serum antioxidant indexes were similar to those in liver. During overwintering, the decrease of TG contents in tissues was influenced by the upregulation of lipidolysis genes. These results indicate that lipids were continuously mobilized as physiological fuels throughout overwintering. Overwintering could result in poor antioxidant status and higher lipid peroxidation level in O. macrolepis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We synthesized a novel, structured lipid containing caprylic acid at its sn‐1,3 position and docosahexaenoic acid at its sn‐2 position (1,3C‐2D‐TAG) by using a two‐step enzymatic method and then investigated the relationship between the types of fatty acids in the structured lipid and their physiological functions. Furthermore, we compared the effects of similarly structured lipids on postprandial lipid metabolism and obesity protection. The results revealed that the novel structured lipid synthesized using the enzymatic method not only exhibited better physical properties than traditional oils but also had high oxidation stability and crystallization degree. In terms of physiological function, the low‐dose 1,3C‐2D‐TAG group exhibited higher cholesterol and triglyceride levels, lower kidney weight or body weight, and higher serum aspartate aminotransferase and blood urea nitrogen levels than control group, whereas the high‐dose 1,3C‐2D‐TAG group exhibited higher triglyceride levels. Moreover, the medium‐dose 1,3C‐2D‐TAG group had remarkably higher high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and lower low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol levels than the high‐lipid, control, and 1,2,3C‐TAG groups; however, the cholesterol and triglyceride levels and kidney and liver functions did not differ significantly among these groups. The study results suggest that 1,3C‐2D‐TAG can not only facilitate the effective utilization of the energy supplied by medium‐chain fatty acids but also help overcome difficulties in the absorption of long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kefalotyri cheese made in December and April using milk from sheep grazing on pastures was aerobically kept, in the dark or under fluorescent light, for 40 days at 4°C. Unsaturated fatty acids, which were higher in April than in December cheese, were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased in all cheese samples under both storage conditions. According to lipid hydroperoxides, malondialdehyde and carbonyls changes, grated cheese samples stored under fluorescent light showed a higher protein and lipid oxidation as compared to samples stored in the dark. Sensory and colour characteristics were better for cheeses stored in the dark than those under fluorescent light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of lipid research, bioorthogonal chemistry has made the study of lipid uptake and processing in living systems possible, whilst minimising biological properties arising from detectable pendant groups. To allow the study of unsaturated free fatty acids in live cells, we here report the use of sterculic acid, a 1,2‐cyclopropene‐containing oleic acid analogue, as a bioorthogonal probe. We show that this lipid can be readily taken up by dendritic cells without toxic side effects, and that it can subsequently be visualised using an inverse electron‐demand Diels–Alder reaction with quenched tetrazine‐fluorophore conjugates. In addition, the lipid can be used to identify changes in protein oleoylation after immune cell activation. Finally, this reaction can be integrated into a multiplexed bioorthogonal reaction workflow by combining it with two sequential copper‐catalysed Huisgen ligation reactions. This allows for the study of multiple biomolecules in the cell simultaneously by multimodal confocal imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipid and fatty acid datasets are commonly used to assess the nutritional composition of organisms, trophic ecology, and ecosystem dynamics. Lipids and their fatty acid constituents are essential nutrients to all forms of life because they contribute to biological processes such as energy flow and metabolism. Assessment of total lipids in tissues of organisms provides information on energy allocation and life‐history strategies and can be an indicator of nutritional condition. The analysis of an organism's fatty acids is a widely used technique for assessing nutrient and energy transfer, and dietary interactions in food webs. Although there have been many published regional studies that assessed lipid and fatty acid compositions, many only report the mean values of the most abundant fatty acids. There are limited individual records available for wider use in intercomparison or macro‐scale studies. This dataset consists of 4856 records of individual and pooled samples of at least 470 different marine consumer species sampled from tropical, temperate, and polar regions around Australia and in the Southern, Indian, and Pacific Oceans from 1989 to 2018. This includes data for a diverse range of taxa (zooplankton, fish, cephalopods, chondrichthyans, and marine mammals), size ranges (0.02 cm to ~13 m), and that cover a broad range of trophic positions (2.0–4.6). When known, we provide a record of species name, date of sampling, sampling location, body size, relative (%) measurements of tissue‐specific total lipid content and abundant fatty acids, and absolute content (mg 100 g−1 tissue) of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n3) as important long‐chain (≥C20) polyunsaturated omega‐3 fatty acids. These records form a solid basis for comparative studies that will facilitate a broad understanding of the spatial and temporal distribution of marine lipids globally. The dataset also provides reference data for future dietary assessments of marine predators and model assessments of potential impacts of climate change on the availability of marine lipids and fatty acids. There are 480 data records within our data file for which the providers have requested that permission for reuse be granted, with the likely condition that they are included as a coauthor on the reporting of the dataset. Records with this condition are indicated by a "yes" under "Conditions_of_data_use" in Data S1: Marineconsumer_FAdata.csv (see Table 2 in Metadata S1 for more details). For all other data records marked as "No" under "Conditions_of_data_use," there are no copyright restrictions for research and/or teaching purposes. We request that users acknowledge use of the data in publications, research proposals, websites, and other outlets via formal citation of this work and original data sources as applicable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brown macroalgae, being important components of benthic communities in temperate regions, are frequently subjected to light limitation. To extend our understanding of their low light acclimation strategies to the regulation of membrane lipid environment, photosynthetic characteristics, lipid class, fatty acid profiles and chloroplast ultrastructure were compared in Undaria pinnatifida (Phaeophyceae, Ochrophyta) after long‐term exposure to low and moderate light intensities (LL, 100 and ML, 280 µmol photons · m−2 · s−1). We show that light limitation significantly increased PSII quantum efficiency and photosynthetic electron transport rate, enhanced pigment contents and concentration of thylakoid membranes in chloroplasts but decreased the distance between the thylakoid stacks. These physiological alterations at LL were accompanied by a selective remodeling of thylakoid membrane lipids driven by increases in monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG) contents. Light limitation also induced active production of PG specific trans‐Δ3‐hexadecenoic acid and accumulation of n−3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) mostly in PG and MGDG at the expense of the rise in 18:3n−3 and 20:5n−3, 18:4n−3, respectively. These changes in lipid and FA profiles are apparently responsible for supporting thylakoid biogenesis and efficient photosynthesis at light limitation, thus contributing to photoacclimation strategies in brown algae. The content of triacylglycerols (TAG) and the level of their PUFA were decreased at LL, suggesting the consumption of TAG as a source of PUFA and energy reserves. Thus, U. pinnatifida is able to successfully overcome periods of low irradiance through the effective light harvesting and utilization that are provided by high flexibility of lipid biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecological role of emergent aquatic insects from lakes in exporting dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) across the freshwater‐land interface is still poorly understood.In this field study, we explored the seasonal biomass export of emergent insects from three subalpine lakes and investigated how lipids of emergent insects were related to lake bathymetry, lipids of organic matter in lake sediments (i.e., basal resources), and the taxonomic composition of insects.The total lipid and PUFA fluxes of emergent insects were strongly related to taxonomy and lake bathymetry, but weakly associated with the PUFA content of the uppermost lake sediment layers. PUFA flux estimates of the dominant taxon, Chironomidae, from the shallowest lake (3 m depth; 125 g PUFA m−2 season−1) were considerably higher than those from the deepest lake (33 m depth; 56 g PUFA m−2 season−1), due to the higher per area biomass of emergent insects from this shallow lake. Insect taxonomy also affected the composition of PUFA transfer to land: Chironomidae were richer in ω‐6 PUFA, such as linoleic acid (18:2n‐6) and arachidonic acid (20:4n‐6), whereas Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera contained more ω‐3 PUFA, especially α‐linolenic acid (18:3n‐3) and eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n‐3).Our findings suggest that taxon‐specific differences in PUFA content and lake bathymetry jointly shape PUFA fluxes and thus the provisioning of emergent insects as dietary sources of physiologically important PUFA for riparian consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere by burning of fossil fuels cause global warming. One option is obtaining biodiesel. Nannochloropsis oculata was cultured under different light intensities and reactors at 25°C for 21 days with f/2 medium to assess their effects on cell density, lipid, and fatty acids (FAs). N. oculata improved cell density on fed‐batch glass tubular reactor (7 L) at 200 μmol E m−2 s−1, yielding 3.5 × 108 cells ml−1, followed by fed‐batch Erlenmeyer flask (1 L) at 650 μmol E m−2 s−1 with 1.7 × 108 cells ml−1. The highest total lipid contents (% g lipid × g dry biomass−1) were 44.4 ± 0.8% for the reactor (1 L) at 650 μmol E m−2 s−1 and 35.2 ± 0.2% for the tubular reactor (7 L) at 200 μmol E m−2 s−1, until twice as high compared with the control culture (Erlenmeyer flask 1 L, 80 μmol E m−2 s−1) with 21.2 ± 1%. Comparing the total lipid content at 200 μmol E m−2 s−1, tubular reactor (7 L) and reactor 1 L achieved 35.2 ± 0.2% and 28.3 ± 1%, respectively, indicating the effect of shape reactor. The FAs were affected by high light intensity, decreasing SFAs to 2.5%, and increased monounsaturated fatty acids + polyunsaturated fatty acids to 2.5%. PUFAs (20:5n‐3) and (20:4n‐3) were affected by reactor shape, decreasing by half in the tubular reactor. In the best culture, fed‐batch tubular reactor (7 L) at 200 μmol E m−2 s−1 contains major FAs (16:0; 38.06 ± 0.16%), (16:1n‐7; 30.74 ± 0.58%), and (18:1n‐9; 17.15 ± 0.91%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine phytoplankton produce essential fatty acids (FA), which are key component of a healthy diet in humans and marine food webs. Increased temperatures can reduce lipid and FA content in phytoplankton; thus, ocean warming poses a risk for the global production of these essential FA. However, responses to warming may differ between phytoplankton species especially after long‐term exposure because phenotypic plasticity, de novo mutations, or genetic evolution may occur. Here, we examine the content of FA and lipids in phytoplankton following long‐term selection (~2 years) to warming conditions (+4°C), and we observe that FA and lipids content were partly or entirely recovered following long‐term exposure to warming conditions. Furthermore, this observed long‐term response also offset the predicted losses of some essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in three of the four species tested. Our study suggests that long‐term exposure of phytoplankton to warming may help to maintain marine food quality in a moderately warming ocean. The responses of FA to increasing temperatures may vary among species, and the level of this idiosyncrasy remains to be further studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐fat diet (HFD) feeding is deleterious to hypothalamic tissue, leading to inflammation and lipotoxicity, as well as contributing to central insulin resistance. Autophagy is a process that restores cellular homeostasis by degrading malfunctioning organelles and proteins. Chronic HFD‐feeding down‐regulates hypothalamic autophagy. However, the effects of short‐term HFD‐feeding and the saturated fatty acid palmitate (PA) on hypothalamic autophagy and in neurones that express neuropeptide Y (NPY) and agouti‐related peptide remains unknown. Therefore, we assessed hypothalamic autophagy after 1 and 3 days of HFD‐feeding. We also injected PA i.c.v and analysed the modulation of autophagy in hypothalamic tissue. Both interventions resulted in changes in autophagy‐related gene profiles without significant differences in protein content of p62 and LC3B‐II, markers of the autophagy pathway. When we assessed native NPY neurones in brain slices from PA‐treated animals, we observed increased levels of Atg7 and LC3B protein in response to PA treatment, indicating the induction of autophagy. We then tested the direct effects of fatty acids using the immortalised hypothalamic NPY‐expressing neuronal cell model mHypoE‐46. We found that PA, but not palmitoleate (PO) (a monounsaturated fatty acid), was able to induce autophagy. Co‐treatment with PA and PO was able to block the PA‐mediated induction of autophagy, as assessed by flow cytometry. When the de novo ceramide synthesis pathway was blocked with myriocin pre‐treatment, we observed a decrease in PA‐mediated induction of autophagy, although there was no change with the toll‐like receptor 4 inhibitor, TAK‐242. Taken together, these findings provide evidence that saturated and unsaturated fatty acids can differentially regulate hypothalamic autophagy and that ceramide synthesis may be an important mediator of those effects. Understanding the mechanisms by which dietary fats affect autophagy in neurones involved in the control of energy homeostasis will provide potential new pathways for targeting and containing the obesity epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial lighting may be an interesting opportunity for the cultivation of microalgae as an alternative to natural sunlight. In particular, light emitting diodes (LEDs) can be employed to tailor the lighting to the microalgal culture in a controlled mode in order to create flashing light. In order to establish the effect of the flashing frequency on growth and biochemical composition of a model microalga, a quasi‐isoactinic reactor, in which the light distribution is almost homogeneous, was set up. In this work, it was employed for the cultivation of the heterokont Nannochloropsis gaditana in two growth media with limiting and nonlimiting nutrients. The combined effect of nutrient concentration and flashing frequency on the growth, lipid content, fatty acid content, and pigment content was assessed for the first time. The results indicate that both nutrient concentration and flashing frequency influence the above‐mentioned parameters. In particular, under flashing light conditions, an increase of lipid content and a decrease of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and chlorophyll are observed when nutrients are deficient, while the opposite effects are shown when nutrients are abundant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The removal of cholesterol from lipid obtained from Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) cephalothorax using saponin in conjunction with celite under various conditions is investigated. Various lipid:saponin ratios (1:2, 1:4, and 1:6, W/W) with different lipid:solvent ratios (1:20, 1:40, and 1:80, W/V) are employed with a treatment time of 4 h. The highest cholesterol removal (88.77 ± 0.18%) is obtained with a lipid:saponin ratio of 1:6 and 20 volumes of 50% ethanol. As the treatment time is increased from 1 to 4 h, higher cholesterol removal is achieved. Lipid peroxides and conjugated dienes are higher in the lipid after cholesterol removal compared to untreated lipid, while thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, the ρ‐anisidine value and free fatty acids are reduced. However, the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content in the saponin‐treated lipid (18.06 ± 0.37 g/100 g−1) is higher than that of untreated lipid (15.80 ± 0.17 g/100 g−1). FTIR spectra confirmed the formation of hydroperoxides, with lower aldehyde, phospholipid and free fatty acid contents in the cholesterol‐removed lipid. The process developed employing saponin is able to produce crude shrimp lipid with a pronounced decrease in cholesterol, but augmented PUFAs, especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Practical Applications: Shrimp lipid is a vital byproduct capable of extraction from cephalothorax. Due to the presence of astaxanthin, EPA and DHA, shrimp lipid is considered to be a highly useful nutraceutical product. However, the cholesterol content of shrimp lipid is a major constraint on its human consumption. The negative impact of cholesterol content can be overcome by lowering the cholesterol content. Saponin treatment of shrimp lipid is able to reduce the cholesterol level and increase the PUFA, thus solving the high cholesterol problem and also gaining augmented health benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipid emulsions are an integral part of parenteral nutrition, and traditionally have been regarded as an energy-dense source of calories and essential fatty acids. For many years, lipids used in parenteral nutrition have been based on vegetable oils (eg, soybean-oil emulsions). However, soybean-oil emulsions may not have an optimal fatty-acid composition under some circumstances when used as the only lipid source, as soybean oil is particularly abundant in the ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), linoleic acid. Hence, a progressive series of more complex lipid emulsions have been introduced, typically combining soybean oil with 1 or more alternative oils, such as medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) and/or olive oil and/or fish oil. The wide range of lipid emulsions now available for parenteral nutrition offers opportunities to alter the supply of different fatty acids, which potentially modifies functional properties, with effects on inflammatory processes, immune response, and hepatic metabolism. Fish oil has become an important component of modern, composite lipid emulsions, in part owing to a growing evidence base concerning its biological effects in a variety of preclinical models. These biological activities of fish oil are mainly attributed to its ω-3 PUFA content, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). DHA and EPA have known mechanisms of action, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antioxidative properties. Specialized proresolving mediators, such as resolvins, protectins, and maresins, are synthesized directly from DHA and EPA, are key for the resolution of inflammation, and improve outcomes in many cell- and animal-based models and, recently, in some clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) are reported to have beneficial effect on bone mineral density. This study aimed to evaluate early changes of bone turnover biomarkers in very low-birth-weight (VLBW) neonates and the effect of 2 parenteral lipid emulsions (PLEs) with different PUFA composition.Methods: This is a randomized double-blind study with parallel design. VLBW neonates (n = 66) receiving parenteral nutrition (PN)>70% of daily energy requirements for >14 days were assigned into 2 groups that were prescribed soybean oil-based (n = 35) and n-3-enriched PLE (n = 31), respectively. Osteoprotegerin (OPG), soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor-kB ligand (sRANKL), osteocalcin (OC), interleukin-6 (enzyme-linked immunoblot assay kits), Ca, and P plasma levels were assessed before PLE implementation (T1) and on day 20 of life (T2).Results: In the total population, sRANKL and OC significantly increased, whereas OPG and the OPG/sRANKL ratio decreased from T1 to T2. Within each group, T1-to-T2 changes of OC were significant in both groups, whereas those of OPG/sRANKL were significant only in the soybean-based group. Multiple regressions showed an independent effect of group allocation on OPG change. Significant associations were observed between PN duration and sRANKL change (negatively), n-6/n-3 and OC changes (positively), and OPG and sRANKL changes (positively).Conclusions: A high bone-turnover rate in VLBW neonates with predominance of bone resorption is confirmed. The lower rate of OPG/sRANKL reduction in the n-3-enriched PLE group indicates that n-3 PUFA-enriched PLEs may help to attenuate early bone loss in VLBW neonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent in vitro evidence suggests that the phytol-derived fatty acids, phytanic acid (PA) and pristanic acid (PrA), are components of animal products with the potential to cause both beneficial and harmful effects on human health. In this study, we investigated the in vivo tissue accumulation of PA and PrA and the changes in tissue lipid profiles, using mice fed a phytol-containing diet. After 4 weeks of treatment with a diet containing 1.0% phytol, plasma, adipose tissue, liver, and brain were collected and their lipid profiles were biochemically and gas-chromatographically determined. Dietary phytol caused PA and PrA accumulation in the adipose tissue and liver but not in the brain, and reduced plasma and liver triacylglycerol levels. Phytol intake also decreased the fatty acid concentrations in the adipose tissue, especially polyunsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid, but increased the concentrations of these fatty acids in the liver. However, dietary phytol had a low impact on the brain lipid profile. This study suggests that dietary phytol intake caused accumulation of PA and PrA and modified lipid profiles in the adipose tissue and liver, but that the brain is an insusceptible tissue to dietary phytol-induced changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to investigate the extraction of lipids, for example, mono‐ and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) as well as carotenoids, from wet microalgae biomass using pressurized subcritical extraction solvents, which meet the requirements of food and feed applications. To demonstrate the effect of the solvent and temperature on the lipid yield, we chose two microalgae species, viz. Chlorella vulgaris and Phaeodactylum tricornutum, differing in their biochemical composition fundamentally. In case of P. tricornutum, ethanol showed the highest fatty acid yield of 85.9% w/w. In addition to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), the ethanolic extracts contained exceptional amounts of fucoxanthin (up to 26.1 mg/g d. w.), which can be beneficial to protect unsaturated fatty acids from oxidation processes and in terms of human nutrition. For C. vulgaris, a fatty acid yield of 76.5% w/w was achieved from wet biomass using ethyl acetate at 150°C. In general, an increase in the extraction temperature up to 150°C was found to be important in terms of fatty acid yield when extracting wet microalgae biomass. The results suggest that it is possible to efficiently extract both fatty acids and carotenoids from wet microalgae by selecting suitable solvents and thus circumvent energy‐intensive drying of the biomass. Pressurized subcritical solvents offer the possibility to extract lipids, for example, mono‐ and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) as well as carotenoids like fucoxanthin, from different types of wet microalgae biomass while using comparatively small amounts of organic solvent. The results of our study suggest that it is possible to efficiently extract both fatty acids and carotenoids from Chlorella vulgaris and Phaeodactylum tricornutum by selecting suitable solvents and thus circumvent energy‐intensive drying of the biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acylethanolamides are a family of endogenous lipid mediators that are involved in physiological and behavioral processes associated with addiction. Recently, oleoylethanolamide (OEA) has been reported to reduce alcohol intake and relapse in rodents but the contribution of OEA and other acylethanolamides in alcohol addiction in humans is unknown. The present study is aimed to characterize the plasma acylethanolamides in alcohol dependence. Seventy-nine abstinent alcohol-dependent subjects (27 women) recruited from outpatient treatment programs and age-/sex-/body mass-matched healthy volunteers (28 women) were clinically assessed with the diagnostic interview PRISM according to the DSM-IV-TR after blood extraction for quantification of acylethanolamide concentrations in the plasma. Our results indicate that all acylethanolamides were significantly increased in alcohol-dependent patients compared with control subjects (p < 0.001). A logistic model based on these acylethanolamides was developed to distinguish alcohol-dependent patients from controls and included OEA, arachidonoylethanolamide (AEA) and docosatetraenoylethanolamide (DEA), providing a high discriminatory power according to area under the curve [AUC = 0.92 (95%CI: 0.87-0.96), p < 0.001]. Additionally, we found a significant effect of the duration of alcohol abstinence on the concentrations of OEA, AEA and DEA using a regression model (p < 0.05, p < 0.01 and p < 0.001, respectively), which was confirmed by a negative correlation (rho = -0.31, -0.40 and -0.44, respectively). However, acylethanolamides were not influenced by the addiction alcohol severity, duration of problematic alcohol use or diagnosis of psychiatric comorbidity. Our results support the preclinical studies and suggest that OEA, AEA and DEA are altered in alcohol-dependence during abstinence and that might act as potential markers for predicting length of alcohol abstinence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trophic transfer and retention of dietary compounds are vital for somatic development, reproduction, and survival of aquatic consumers. In this field study, stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes, and fatty acids (FA) contents in invertebrates and fishes of pre-alpine Lake Lunz, Austria, were used to (1) identify the resource use and trophic level of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus), pike (Esox lucius), perch (Perca fluviatilis), brown trout (Salmo trutta), roach (Rutilus rutilus), and minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus) and (2) examine how polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA; i.e., omega-3 and -6 PUFA) are related to total lipid status, littoral-pelagic reliance, and trophic position. Stable isotope data suggest that pike, perch, and minnow derived most of their energy from littoral resources, but minnows differed from pike and perch in their trophic position and PUFA composition. The co-occurrence of cyprinids, percids, and pike segregated these fishes into more lipid-rich (roach, minnow) and lipid-poor (pike, percids) species. Although the relatively lipid-poor pike and percids occupied a higher trophic position than cyprinids, there was a concurrent, total lipid-dependent decline in omega-3 and -6 PUFA in these predatory fishes. Results of this lake food-web study demonstrated that total lipids in fish community, littoral-pelagic reliance, and trophic position explained omega-3 and -6 PUFA in dorsal muscle tissues. Omega-3 and -6 PUFA in these fishes decreased with increasing trophic position, demonstrating that these essential FAs did not biomagnify with increasing trophic level. Finally, this lake food-web study provides evidence of fish community-level relationship between total lipid status and PUFA or stable isotope ratios, whereas the strength of such relationships was less strong at the species level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish from the Amazon Basin are affected by oscillations in the river water volume, which influences the diet of animal species. This study was aimed at evaluating seasonal variations in lipid content, fatty acid composition and nutritional profiles of five fish species from the Amazon Basin. The lipid contents of all fish species were observed to be lower in flood periods than in drought periods; Brachyplatystoma flavicans showed the largest variation (6.75-15.43 %) between these periods, while Colossoma macropomum showed no significant difference ( p > 0.05). The fatty acid composition in the five fish species varied throughout seasonal periods; saturated fatty acid (SFA) contents decreased in flood periods, whereas polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) contents significantly ( p < 0.05) increased for all the species in the same period. Leporinus friderici showed the highest content of α-linolenic acid, (LNA 14.86 mg g) and Colossoma macropomum presented the highest content of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA 26.13 mg g) in flood periods. Prochilodus nigricans showed the lowest content of arachidonic acid (AA) in both periods, while Brachyplatystoma flavicans showed the greatest amount of AA, 18.77 mg g in drought period and 22.10 mg g in flood period. All the fish species presented favorable indices of nutritional quality of lipid fraction, suggesting that consumption of these species could be considered beneficial to human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roasting enhances sensory quality of wild almonds ( Amygdalus scoparia). The aim of the study was to evaluate the use of microwaves (480 W for 3 or 4 min) in roasting of wild almonds in comparison with traditional Spanish (165 °C for 20 min) and Iranian (soaking in 20 % NaCl in water for 30 min, drying at 60 °C for 2 h and roasting at 135 °C for 20 min) hot-air processes. The influence of roasting wild almonds on moisture and oil contents, crispness, fatty acid profile, volatile compounds, and odour intensity was investigated. Roasting causes changes in appearance, texture and flavour, due to dehydration, browning, lipid oxidation, and diverse structural changes. The moisture content and hardness of the samples significantly decreased with all roasting methods. Roasting resulted in higher amounts of characteristics aroma compounds and only microwave roasting increased the oil content. The final recommendation is that microwave roasting at 480 W for 4 min led to roasted almonds of high physicochemical [dark and intense colour ( L*44.9, a*8.4, and b*19.6), the highest content of total volatile compounds (132 mg kg), 85.2 % of unsaturated fatty acids], and sensory (high intensity of 'roasted almond' aroma) quality. Microwaves can be used for roasting wild almond as a quick, safe, and economical method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential of lipids derived from food-waste and algal biomass (produced from food-waste hydrolysate) for the formation of plasticizers and surfactants is investigated herein. Plasticizers were formed by epoxidation of double bonds of methylated unsaturated fatty acids with in situ generated peroxoformic acid. Assuming that all unsaturated fatty acids are convertible, 0.35 and 0.40 g of plasticizer can be obtained from 1 g of crude algae- or food-waste-derived lipids, respectively. Surfactants were formed by transesterification of saturated and epoxidized fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) with polyglycerol. The addition of polyglycerol would result in a complete conversion of saturated and epoxidized FAMEs to fatty acid polyglycerol esters. This study successfully demonstrates the conversion of food-waste into value-added chemicals using simple and conventional chemical reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detailed changes in composition of fatty acids, as well as alterations in the content of triacylglycerols and tocopherols during the maturation of Kataloński hazelnuts grown in Jankowice, Poland were studied. Samples with different maturity levels were collected at weekly intervals between August and September 2013. Nineteen different fatty acids were identified. The amount of oleic acid ( n9) was the greatest in all samples, the amount of linoleic acid ( n6) acid was second greatest, while the amount of palmitic acid was third greatest in all samples, except during the very first stage of maturation. A decreasing trend in the amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) was observed from early developed to completely maturated hazelnuts (from 30.09 to 10.28 g 100 g−1 of oil). On the other hand, the amount of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) in hazelnuts increased from early to harvest stage (from 22.03 to 79.17 g 100 g−1 of oil). Linoleic acid and oleic acid were the most abundant fatty acids located in sn-2 position of triacylglycerols. Different distributions of both acids were reported during maturation. Oleic acid reported a constant distribution in an internal position, whereas linoleic acid content in sn-2 position increased during maturation. Finally, the tocopherol content increased from early to harvest stage and the amount of α-tocopherol was observed to be the highest among tocols. Practical applications: The composition of hazelnuts changes during maturation. Harvest timing has a strong effect on both oil yield and quality factors, such as fatty acid composition and tocopherol content. The distinguishing features mentioned have a significant impact on the hazelnut's final oxidative stability, which is an important parameter from the grower's and distributor's practical perspective. The results obtained may be applied to the specific set up of harvesting time, when the nuts contain the highest amount of desired fatty acid. At the beginning of the maturation period, hazelnut kernels are an abundant source of both MUFA and PUFA (especially essential ones) and can be perceived as beneficial additive compounds to be applied in pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. The composition of the hazelnuts' lipid fraction changes during maturation. This includes the tocopherol content, fatty acid composition and fatty acid distribution in TAG molecules. Upon the ripening of hazelnuts, the content of monounsaturated fatty acids was increased, the content of saturated fatty acids was constant and polyunsaturated fatty acids decreased significantly ( p < 0.05). The α-tocopherol concentration increased during the kernel growing season, while the content of γ- and β-homologues decreased significantly ( p < 0.05). Additionally, highly significant positive correlations were found between the amount of α-tocopherol and oleic acid and between the amount of γ-tocopherol and linoleic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raman spectra of 35 lipids are presented and analyzed in this work. Selected compounds, i.e. saturated/unsaturated fatty acids, triacylglycerols, cholesterol, cholesteryl esters and phospholipids, were chosen to review key lipids involved in cardiovascular disease development. Differences in Raman signatures both between diverse groups of lipids as well as various members of the same family are investigated in detail in order to elucidate marker features enabling detection and discrimination of lipids in complex samples, particularly of biological origin. This work complements our previous review on important biomolecules, i.e. proteins, and presents a comprehensive database of Raman spectra of naturally occurring lipids. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health-conscious consumers following dietary fat recommendations require meat that is low in saturated fat with preferably high levels of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. This review summarizes the influence of dietary lipids from red meat on human health and examines the potential to enhance lipid composition through pasture-feeding. The role of fatty acids in plant and ruminant metabolism is discussed to highlight the complexity of ruminal digestion when trying to enhance fatty acids in meat. Generally, ruminants that consume pasture diets have been shown to produce a more desirable fatty acid composition than those fed grain and offer potential to be further enhanced by using specific plant species. Elevated polyunsaturated fat content in meat, however, tends to increase susceptibility to oxidation, which influences other meat quality characteristics including shelf-life and color. The use of specific plant species may mitigate these negative effects due to vitamin E or other antioxidants in these plants, which protect polyunsaturated fats from oxidation. When assessing the potential of plants as a natural dietary fat source, consideration must be given to environmental influences on plant fatty acid composition to ensure consistent production of meat products with high nutritive value under a range of management practices. This review also explores the potential impact of climate change on plant fatty acid composition, and the potential implications of this for meat quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wide variety of metabolic products of polyunsaturated fatty acids is of paramount importance for improving our medical knowledge in the field of oxidized lipids. Two novel metabolites of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, 8-F3t-IsoP and 10-F4t-NeuroP as well as a deuterated derivative thereof were synthesized based on an acetylenic intermediate. An original approach achieved lateral chain insertion of 8-F3t-IsoP by a ring-closing alkyne metathesis/semi-reduction strategy together with a temporary tether. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to manipulate plant fatty acid biosynthesis by using new biotechnological approaches has allowed the production of transgenic plants with unusual fatty acid profile and increased oil content. This review focuses on the production of very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLCPUFAs) and the increase in oil content in plants using molecular biology tools. Evidences suggest that regular consumption of food rich in VLCPUFAs has multiple positive health benefits. Alternative sources of these nutritional fatty acids are found in cold-water fishes. However, fish stocks are in severe decline because of decades of overfishing, and also fish oils can be contaminated by the accumulation of toxic compounds. Recently, there is also an increase in oilseed use for the production of biofuels. This tendency is partly associated with the rapidly rising costs of petroleum, increased concern about the environmental impact of fossil oil and the attractive need to develop renewable sources of fuel. In contrast to this scenario, oil derived from crop plants is normally contaminant free and less environmentally aggressive. Genetic engineering of the plastid genome (plastome) offers a number of attractive advantages, including high-level foreign protein expression, marker-gene excision and transgene containment because of maternal inheritance of plastid genome in most crops. Here, we describe the possibility to improve fatty acid biosynthesis in plastids, production of new fatty acids and increase their content in plants by genetic engineering of plastid fatty acid biosynthesis via plastid transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipids are a complex group of biomolecules whose precise functions remain poorly understood. As a result of this poor understanding, it is difficult to make mechanistically based recommendations for appropriate dietary intakes. It is equally difficult to develop methods that are capable of diagnosing functional impairments because of insufficiencies or excesses in particular fatty acids. Lipids are abundant building blocks of cellular membranes, supply components for lipid particle assembly and substrates for metabolic fuel, and provide a precursor pool for an astonishingly diverse range of signalling molecules. In each of these broad functions, the functional consequences of different structures of fatty acids are not fully understood. According to research on membrane functions through early evolution, docosahexaenoic acid provides two biophysical properties to membranes - accelerating the lateral motion of lipids and proteins within the plane of the membrane and simultaneously slowing the rate of diffusion/leakage of charged species across the plane of the membrane. The range of fatty acid structures used as substrates for assembly of either lipoproteins or milk fat globules is broad, yet the functional consequences of differences are not known. Different lipids signal into a remarkable range of biological processes. Saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids are becoming recognized as signal molecules in their own right. The complex composition of human milk lipids implies that diets with a diversity of fatty acids in complex lipid forms and structures is more beneficial than a narrow range of any particular group of fatty acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wharton’s jelly is a myxomatous substance which surrounds the umbilical cord vessels protecting them against extension, bending, twisting and compression. Very low number of cells in this tissue produce high amounts of extracellular matrix; collagen, hyaluronate and proteoglycans which bind large quantities of peptide growth factors (PGFs). Preeclampsia (the most common pregnancy-associated syndrome) is accompanied by a significant reduction in hyaluronate and a concomitant increase in sulphated glycosaminoglycans/proteoglycans content in Wharton’s jelly. Such a phenomenon corresponds to an ‘early ageing’ of this tissue. We have evaluated the lipid composition of Wharton’s jelly and its alteration in preeclampsia. Thin layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography were employed. It was found that Wharton’s jelly contains free fatty acids (FFA), mono-, di- and triacylglycerols, free cholesterol and its esters. The characteristic feature is the presence of relatively high amounts of unsaturated fatty acids, including those (C18:2 and C18:3) which are nutritionally essential. Preeclampsia is associated with a slight increase in the total fatty acid content in Wharton’s jelly and with marked changes in the proportional relationships between various lipids. A distinct decrease in the amounts of FFA was observed with a concomitant increase in monoacylglycerols and cholesterol esters. At least in some cases the effects exerted by PGFs are mediated by the lipid second messengers. Thus it is possible that alterations in lipid compounds of Wharton’s jelly may participate in the deregulation of various cell functions, including overproduction of sulphated glycosaminoglycans or down-regulation of enzymes which participate in their degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was carried out to compare the effects of two industrial scale processes (super press and triple phase systems) and a traditional Tunisian family-sized operation with laboratory milling for two varieties of olives: Chemlali and Chemchali. Analyses of the effect of the extraction system, on the oils’ characteristics, revealed statistically significant differences in some parameters, mainly in antioxidant compounds ( P < 0.05). Major fatty acids presented significant differences ( P < 0.05) with respect to the cultivar kind (55.93% vs. 72.21%). Oxidative stability of Chemchali was nearly two times higher than Chemlali (94.58 vs. 50.37 day kg−1). Results appear to confirm the general consensus that Chemchali oils are of much higher quality compared with the tolerable quality of Chemlali. The traditional method is a valid form of producing high quality oil with very high stability (48.87 and 109.07 day kg−1 for Chemlali and Chemchali oil, respectively). However, industrial mills showed that triple-phase scale could cause considerable loss in polyphenols. Finally, olive oil quality is mainly dependant on the quality of the olives and on the extraction method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is generally believed that diets containing increased amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) result in improved canine skin and hair coat (SHC). However, the extent to which dietary fat amount and type play a role remains to be systematically investigated. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of both increased dietary fat amount and type on SHC assessments of dogs. Improvements of SHC conditions were investigated after feeding three diets containing increased total dietary fat (i.e. 13% total fat) for 12 weeks in relation to a lower fat acclimation diet (i.e. 9% total fat). The higher fat diets varied in polyunsaturated and saturated fat types and amounts but total fat was kept constant. Skin and hair coat assessments were performed at selected intervals by a trained group of veterinarians and graduate students. In addition, hair lipids were fractionated by thin layer chromatography after extraction of plucked hair samples. Significant improvements were found in hair coat glossiness and softness in all dogs fed the higher fat diets in relation to the acclimation diet. Improvements as a result of fat type were also seen but only at 12 weeks. A parallel finding was a marked increase in hair cholesteryl ester content determined at the end of the study at which time SHC scores were significantly improved. Skin and hair coat condition improvements may thus be related to increased cholesteryl ester deposited on the hair shaft surface when high fat diets are fed. Whereas this finding is preliminary, hair lipid analysis may be a useful, non-invasive technique with which to help assess dietary effects on canine SHC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activating stimuli for T lymphocytes are transmitted through plasma membrane domains that form at T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) signalling foci. Here, we determined the molecular lipid composition of immunoisolated TCR activation domains. We observed that they accumulate cholesterol, sphingomyelin and saturated phosphatidylcholine species as compared with control plasma membrane fragments. This provides, for the first time, direct evidence that TCR activation domains comprise a distinct molecular lipid composition reminiscent of liquid-ordered raft phases in model membranes. Interestingly, TCR activation domains were also enriched in plasmenyl phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine. Modulating the T-cell lipidome with polyunsaturated fatty acids impaired the plasma membrane condensation at TCR signalling foci and resulted in a perturbed molecular lipid composition. These results correlate the accumulation of specific molecular lipid species with the specific plasma membrane condensation at sites of TCR activation and with early TCR activation responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ProSafeBeef is a 5-year integrated project funded by the European Commission under the sixth Framework Programme. The overall aim is to advance beef safety and quality across Europe and the work programme spans seven integrated “pillars”. Pillar 3 is concerned with producing safe beef and beef products with enhanced nutritional and eating quality characteristics. A particular focus is on the development of strategies to enhance the concentrations in beef of those fatty acids considered to be of benefit to human health, without causing a detrimental effect on the appearance, shelf-life or eating quality of the beef. There is accumulating evidence of the importance of long-chain n-3 (omega-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) for human health and disease prevention, and also evidence from experimental studies that has shown anticarcinogenic, antiatherogenic, and anti-obesity effects of two isomers of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Based on this evidence, the major focus of research efforts to improve the nutritional value of beef has been on increasing the concentration of the n-3 PUFAs and CLA. Considerable progress has been made within pillar 3 of ProSafeBeef to meet this aim, primarily by manipulating the diet of cattle. Fundamental information on ruminal lipid metabolism and on the control and/or prevention of ruminal hydrogenation of dietary lipids arising from research within ProSafeBeef will facilitate the production of beef with a ‘healthier’ fatty acid profile. Moreover, strategies will be defined for industry on how to optimise nutritional and sensory properties and oxidative quality of beef products, by combining the nutritional enhancement made in the live animal together with target levels of functional ingredients to be added during processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examines the effect of four semi-purified diets (casein–gelatin based) where the source of fatty acids was free (esterified) oleic acid and linoleic acid (LA) (LOA diet), linseed and olive oil (predominantly LA and linolenic acid) (LO diet), cod liver oil (rich in highly unsaturated fatty acids) (CLO diet), and soybean lecithin (phospholipids; mostly LA) (LE diet) on the growth of juvenile South American catfish (surubim, Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum, Pimelodidae) (0.98 ± 0.04 g individual weight). Fish were fed at a restricted–readjusted feeding rate for 8 wk. At the end of the experiment, LE-diet-fed fish grew significantly larger than those of the other three groups ( P < 0.05). Considerable cannibalism was observed in all the treatments. It is suggested that the quantitative growth performance may possibly change under other conditions, with less or no cannibalism. Survival did not differ significantly among the fish fed four different diets. Muscle and liver lipid contents did not vary among dietary treatments ( P > 0.05), but whole-body lipid concentrations were affected by dietary treatments. Fish fed LE diet contained significantly lower lipid level than those fed three other diets ( P < 0.05). Muscle and liver fatty acid profiles reflected dietary fatty acid composition. Arachidonic acid level was significantly higher in muscle and liver of fish fed LOA and LE diets than in those fed LO and CLO diets. The results suggest that the efficiency of elongation and desaturation of 18C fatty acids depends on the dietary lipid source, and South American catfish has considerable capacity to transform linoleate to arachidonate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. In nature, food conditions change temporally and force consumers into trade-offs during resource allocation. In particular, under poor food conditions, for example during cyanobacterial blooms, herbivores have to optimize their resource allocation to maximize fitness, and face two decisions: (i) an individual might attempt to allocate acquired essential resources to reproductive tissues or use them for its own maintenance; and (ii) an individual might decide to optimize the chemical quality of its eggs. 2. As cyanobacteria feature a deficiency in some essential lipids that leads to a decline in the growth and fecundity of Daphnia, an important freshwater herbivore, we investigated Daphnia magna's Strauss allocation of lipids such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and cholesterol during an experimental non-toxic cyanobacterial bloom. 3. Generally, we found a substantial maternal investment of the particularly important omega-3 (n-3) PUFAs, in particular eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), into the eggs. The concentration of EPA was 2·4-fold higher in eggs than in somatic tissue, a cumulative effect, which was not significantly changed under cyanobacterial food conditions. 4. Under poor conditions, D. magna not only decreased the number of eggs produced but, in principle, reduced the previously high concentrations of EPA in both eggs and somatic tissues to a similar degree. In contrast to EPA, the concentrations of α-linolenic acid and cholesterol, although lower than EPA, were more homeostatic in eggs than in somatic tissues, in which concentrations decreased. 5. When food quality was improved, D. magna were able to recover completely the fatty acid concentrations in their somatic tissues and eggs. 6. This study shows that the content of particular lipids in its food clearly affects resource allocation in D. magna, and suggests that cholesterol is important for somatic growth, while PUFAs are primarily needed for reproduction. As a decreasing investment of essential lipids into eggs implies a reduced fitness of the animals’ progeny under poor food conditions, this could have a strong impact on population dynamics, which might also be valid for other species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which examined and compared the total lipid and highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) content of rotifers, Brachionus plicatilis and Artemia enriched with spray-dried enrichments and live algae (LA) or concentrated algae paste (CAP). Effectiveness of CAP at enriching rotifers and Artemia with HUFA as LA; Total lipid content of rotifers; Optimal requirements for an absolute amount of arachidonic acid.

Objective Cross-sectional studies suggest that the fatty acid (FA) composition of phospholipids in skeletal muscle cell membrane may modulate insulin sensitivity in humans. We examined the impact of a hypocaloric low-fat dietary intervention on membrane FA composition and insulin sensitivity. Design Muscle membrane FA profiles were determined in muscle (vastus lateralis) biopsies from 21 obese subjects before and after 6 months of dietary restriction. Diet instructions emphasized low intake of FA of marine origin by recommending lean fish and prohibiting fatty fish and fish oil supplements. Insulin resistance was estimated by the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR). Results The mean weight loss was 5·1 kg (range −15·3 to +1·3 kg). BMI decreased from 36·5 to 34·9 kg/m2 ( P = 0·003). Saturated FA (SFA) decreased 11% ( P = 0·0001). Polyunsaturated FA (PUFA)n-6 increased 4% ( P = 0·003). Long-chain PUFAn-3 increased 51% ( P = 0·0001), mainly due to a 75% increase ( P < 0·0001) in docosahexaenoic acid. Changes in HOMA-IR correlated significantly with changes in long-chain PUFAn-3 ( R = –0·57, P < 0·01), SFA ( R = 0·58, P < 0·01) and waist circumference ( R = 0·46, P < 0·05). A multivariate linear regression analysis that included changes in weight, fat mass, waist circumference, plasma lipids, PUFA, SFA and long-chain PUFAn-3 indicated that SFA and long-chain PUFAn-3 were independent predictors of HOMA-IR ( R2 = 0·33, P < 0·01). Conclusions A hypocaloric low-fat dietary intervention programme increased incorporation of long-chain PUFAn-3 and reduced SFA in skeletal muscle membrane phospholipids of obese subjects, a setting that may impact on insulin action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on the fatty acid composition of juvenile red drum Sciaenops ocellatus was investigated. Individuals ( n = 435) were fed three natural diets (Gulf menhaden Brevoortia patronus, brown shrimp Farfantapenaeus aztecus and Atlantic brief squid Lolliguncula brevis) that had significantly different proximate composition, energy density and PUFA compositions for 40 days. Diets were characterized as containing: high lipid, high protein, high energy and low PUFA (fish-based), low lipid, low protein, low energy, moderate PUFA (shrimp-based), and low lipid, high protein, moderate energy and high PUFA levels (squid-based), respectively. Specimens were collected at days 0, 5, 10, 20 and 40 to evaluate rate of dietary fatty acid composition in tissues. Two-source mixing models were used to calculate dietary fatty acid accumulation in consumer tissues. Results indicated that juvenile red drum incorporated an average of 35% dietary PUFAs after 5 days. Although relative biomass and dietary proximate composition had an effect upon the dietary fatty acid contribution, red drum averaged 91% incorporation of the five most prevalent PUFAs [18 : 2 ( n − 6), 20 : 4 ( n − 6), 20 : 5 ( n − 3), 22 : 5 ( n − 3) and 22 : 6 ( n − 3)] across all diets after 40 days. Growth varied as a function of diet and rates were higher for individuals fed the squid diet than those fed shrimp or fish diets primarily due to increased levels of protein and PUFAs [including 22 : 6 ( n − 3); 25·8%] in the diet. Red drum fed squid exhibited the greatest increase in average dietary fatty acid contribution by day 5, a trend that continued for the duration of the experiment. Since PUFA composition in red drum was significantly influenced by diet in as few as 5 days and almost completely incorporated into body tissues after 40 days, results from this study support the premise that fatty acids (especially PUFAs) are promising dietary indicators and may be useful for future studies examining trophic relationships of estuarine and marine fishes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of changed environmental conditions on the content of glycolipids and component fatty acids was studied in the moss species Pleurozium schreberi and Ceratodon purpureus. The mosses were collected from their natural habitats when frozen and covered by snow. After one week's exposure to rhythmic light (150 μE m-2 s-1, 12 h 17°C) no changes were observed in the absolute amount of fatty acids in either mono- (MGDG) or diglycosyl diglyceride (DGDG) fractions. Some changes were recorded in the content of individual fatty acids, however. The long chain, poly-unsaturated fatty acids (mainly 20 : 4ω6 and 20 : 5ω3 in P. schreberi and in addition 16 : 3ω3 and 18 : 3ω3 in C. purpureus) tended to decrease and the shorter chain, more saturated ones increased correspondingly. Under continuous light conditions (17°C) the total amount of fatty acids decreased in both MGDG and DGDG fractions, more significantly at 150 than at 75 μE m-2 -1. This was due to the accelerated degradation and/or decreased synthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which in this case was not totally compensated by the increase in shorter chain, more saturated ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of water stress on [1‐14C]‐oleic and [1‐14C]‐linoleic acid desaturations were studied in leaves of two varieties of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), one drought‐sensitive (Reba) and the other more resistant (Mocosinho). After 24 h incorporation, [1‐14C]‐oleate led to the appearance of linoleate in phospholipids and, additionally, of linolenate in galactolipids. [1‐14C]‐Linoleate was desaturated to linolenate only in galactolipid fractions. Water stress markedly inhibited the incorporation of the precursors into the leaf lipids. The two desaturation steps were affected, particularly the transformation of linoleate to linolenate in monogalactosyldiacylglycerol in the drought‐sensitive variety of cotton. The metabolic implications of the inhibition of the biosynthesis of C18‐polyunsaturated fatty acids are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neutral lipid (NL) and phospholipid (PL) fractions and their corresponding fatty acid profiles from the L. dorsi of Bison, Hereford, and Brahman steers of similar age finished on identical diets were determined. Compositional differences were related to sensory characteristics of the samples. Phosphatidylcholine + lysophosphatidylethanolamine (PC + LPE) existed in the highest concentration in all samples evaluated followed by lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), sphingomyelin (SPH), fraction one and phosphatidylserine (PS). Bison contained more total PL, particularly PC+LPE and LPC, than the other two bovine species. Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) composition of these PL was greater for Bison. Off-flavor and aftertaste increased with increasing levels of PC+LPE and LPC due to their greater composition of PUFA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the seasonal lipid dynamics of Calanus finmarchicus from Loch Etive, a semi-enclosed fjordic environment on the west coast of Scotland, in relation to the diapause behavior of this species. Levels of total lipid and triacylglycerol in individual copepodid stage V (CVs) exhibited clear seasonal trends, with highest levels in June and progressively decreasing through late summer to winter. Wax esters in CVs were more variable, but followed a similar pattern. An index of the level of unsaturation of wax esters, effectively an indicator of the levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the wax ester reserves, were highest in midsummer and declined progressively through autumn and winter. Fatty acid analysis of total lipid in the CVs confirmed that the amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the wax esters decreased, while amounts of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids remained comparatively stable. Polyunsaturated wax esters are selectively catabolized by C. finmarchicus during diapause. Previous studies have linked unsaturation of wax esters in calanoid copepods to the initiation of diapause and buoyancy control, and we hypothesize that selective catabolism of polyunsaturated wax esters is linked to the processes of diapause termination and ascent to surface waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]