Oral exposure to butter, but not fat replacers elevates postprandial triacylglycerol concentration in humans

Oral exposure to dietary fat augments the postprandial triacylglycerol (TAG) concentration. We investigated the TAG response after oral exposure to butter and selected fat replacers. At 2200 h, 17 healthy adults consumed 80 g of almonds and fasted until 0700 h. Safflower oil (50 g in 1-g capsules) was then consumed. Oral stimulation was provided periodically for 2 h as potatoes, potatoes containing butter or one of three fat replacers or no oral stimulation in random order at weekly intervals. Blood was collected at stipulated intervals for 8 h. Oral exposure to butter led to a significantly longer postprandial TAG elevation than the other treatments. The results could not be explained by differential stimulus ingestion, palatability or perceived fat content. There was no significant treatment effect on concentrations of serum oleic acid, apolipoprotein (apo)B-48 or apoB-100, suggesting any oral exposure influence on release of dietary lipid stored in the lacteals or chylomicron and VLDL particle number contributed little to the postprandial TAG rise. In summary, oral exposure to butter elicited a greater postprandial TAG elevation than the tested fat replacers, possibly due to reduced TAG clearance.