Lipid Technology

The ability to eliminate trans fats, without incorporating additional saturated fats, is limited by the physico‐chemical properties of the processed food and what role the lipids play in the food structure. To maintain the levels of cardio‐protective unsaturated fats alternative methods to structure them are desperately needed. One such strategy is to utilize oleogels or molecular gels comprised of small molecules. Herein, we illustrate the potential of biomimicking the assemblies formed by the intercellular lipids in stratum corneum using stearic acid, ceramide III and replacing cholesterol with β‐sitosterol.

This article describes the development of a new paradigm in lipid testing wherein seven major human plasma lipids are determined simultaneously without the need for analytical separations. Included are cholesterol and the esters of linoleic, conjugated linoleic (CLA), arachidonic, linolenic, eicosapentaenoic, (EPA), and docosohexaenoic acids, (DHA). The simple quantitative colorimetric assay is rapid, rugged, inexpensive and specific to the -CH=CH-CH2- functional group in both cyclic and acyclic structures. The critical moiety in the functional group is the α-methylene (allylic) group that triggers the reaction. Without it, a double or triple bond is not reactive. The visible spectrum for a typical plasma sample turned out to be the linear sum of the weighted contributions from all seven analytes that – given the heterogeneity of blood samples – leads to a broad diversity in the spectral patterns. To resolve the spectral data, a number of chemometric techniques were investigated. Initially, calculations were made on spectral data that originated from prepared synthetic mixtures whose molar concentrations were known. The most encouraging algorithms employed are: coupling ridge regression (RR) with K-matrix, partial least squares regression (PLS), and generalized standard addition method (GSAM). An attempt to apply GSAM to serum samples is validated using GC-MS. The same serum samples are analyzed using GC-MS and spectrophotometry and the ratios of omega-6 to omega-3 obtained from the analyses are compared. Results using both methods correspond very well. (The reaction between acetyl chloride and olefinic systems is described as a Friedel-Crafts reaction but the mechanism of this process, the structure of the products, and the nature of the resulting chromophore remains to be fully identified.)

Here we describe a novel 1H NMR assay for the determination of FFAs in edible oils. The analytical performance of the NMR assay is similar to that of the commonly used acid value (AV) method. A total of 120 edible oil samples were analysed by both approaches. Except for pumpkin seed oil, showing slight deviations, there was a good compliance between the results obtained from the two methods.

Continuous energy crises and increasing demand for conventional fuels has resulted in the need for biofuels on a commercial scale. Transesterification of oils to yield biodiesel – one of the principal biofuels currently produced in large-scale operations – is coupled with significant production of a glycerol-rich water (so-called “crude” or “raw” glycerol), as an important side-product of the process. The increasing demand for biodiesel leads to abundant quantities of this glycerol-rich material on the market. Therefore, glycerol valorization has much to offer in the cost reduction of biodiesel production. To this end, various chemical or biotechnological strategies have been developed to obtain added-value products using crude glycerol as substrate. This review combines an account of our attempts to achieve a biotechnological valorization of raw glycerol with a review of appropriate literature.

The TRANSFACT study, a worldwide research initiative, revealed that the effects of trans fatty acids (TFA) found in ‘natural’ ruminant fat (R-TFA) and industrially produced (IP-TFA) sources on cardiovascular disease risk (CVD) factors are different. Moreover, it was observed for both dietary sources of TFA that women and men react differently to TFA consumption, the women being more sensitive than men. The TRANSFACT study demonstrates that the consumption of R-TFA at the current level consumption does not impact significantly on CVD risk factors. Moreover, the TRANSFACT study confirmed that the complexity related to the consumption of TFA was oversimplified as recently suggested in an epidemiological study.

ABSTRACT The health benefits of omega‐3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega‐3 LC‐PUFA) are recognized worldwide. The traditional source of omega‐3 LC‐PUFA is fish. However, global consumer needs cannot be supplied by the current global fish harvest. Therefore, new sources of omega‐3 LC‐PUFA have to be found. Microalgae are producers of omega‐3 LC‐PUFA and a potential alternative for seafood. Other sources of omega‐3 LC‐PUFA include krill oil, calamari oil and genetically engineered land plant crops.