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Influence of Interesterification of a Stearic Acid-Rich Spreadable Fat on Acute Metabolic Risk Factors

  • Original Article
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Lipids

Abstract

Chemical and enzymatic interesterification are used to create spreadable fats. However, a comparison between the two processes in terms of their acute metabolic effects has not yet been investigated. A randomised crossover study in obese (plasma TAG > 1.69 mmol/L, and BMI > 30 (BMI = kg/m2) or waist circumference > 102 cm, n = 11, age = 59.3 ± 1.8 years) and non-obese (plasma triacylglycerol (TAG) < 1.69 mmol/L, and BMI < 30  or waist circumference < 102 cm, n = 10, age = 55.8 ± 2.2 years) men was undertaken to compare the effects of chemical versus enzymatic interesterification on postprandial risk factors for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). TAG, cholesterol, glucose, insulin and free fatty acid concentrations were measured for 6 h following consumption of 1 g fat/kg body mass of non-interesterified (NIE), chemically interesterified (CIE), enzymatically interesterified (EIE) stearic acid-rich fat spread or no fat, each with 50 g available carbohydrate from white bread. Interesterification did not affect postprandial glucose, insulin, free fatty acids or cholesterol (P > 0.05). Following ingestion of NIE, increases in serum oleic acid were observed, whereas both oleic and stearic acids were increased with CIE and EIE (P < 0.05). While postprandial TAG concentrations in non-obese subjects were not affected by fat treatment (P > 0.05), obese subjects had an 85% increase in TAGs with CIE versus NIE (P < 0.05). The differences in TAG response between non-obese and obese subjects suggest that interesterification may affect healthy individuals differently compared to those already at risk for T2D and/or CVD.

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Abbreviations

AUC:

Area under the curve

BMI:

Body mass index

CIE:

Chemically interesterified test fat

CVD:

Cardiovascular disease

DAG:

Diacylglycerol

EIE:

Enzymatically interesterified test fat

GC:

Gas chromatography

HOMA-IR:

Homeostasis model of insulin resistance

HPLC:

High performance liquid chromatography

IE:

Interesterification

NIE:

Non-interesterified test fat

SEM:

Standard error of the mean

SSS:

Tristearin

T2D:

Type 2 diabetes

TAG:

Triacylglycerol

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Acknowledgments

We thank the study participants for their time and commitment. We thank Mehrnoosh Kashani and Ricky Lam for their technical assistance and the Human Nutraceutical Research Unit at the University of Guelph and the Guelph Food Technology Centre for the use of their facilities. We also thank Bunge Canada for supplying the fully hydrogenated canola stearin and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, College of Biological Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada

    Dawn M. Robinson, Natalie C. Martin, Lindsay E. Robinson & Amanda J. Wright

  2. Department of Food Science, Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada

    Latifeh Ahmadi & Alejandro G. Marangoni

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  1. Dawn M. Robinson
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  2. Natalie C. Martin
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  3. Lindsay E. Robinson
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  4. Latifeh Ahmadi
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  6. Amanda J. Wright
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Correspondence to Amanda J. Wright.

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Robinson, D.M., Martin, N.C., Robinson, L.E. et al. Influence of Interesterification of a Stearic Acid-Rich Spreadable Fat on Acute Metabolic Risk Factors. Lipids 44, 17–26 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-008-3253-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-008-3253-7

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