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Fatty Acid 13C Isotopologue Profiling Provides Insight into Trophic Carbon Transfer and Lipid Metabolism of Invertebrate Consumers
Published on: April 17, 2018
n-3 fatty acids in human fat tissue aspirates are stable for up to 6 y
M B Katan1, J L Harryvan, P van de Bovenkamp
1Nutrition and Health Program, Wageningen Centre for Food Sciences, Bomenweg 2, 6703 HD Wageningen, The Netherlands. wcfs1@wur.nl
Objectives:
The content of n-3 (omega-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids in fat tissue is a valid indicator of their long-term consumption. We studied the stability of n-3 fatty acids in human subcutaneous fat microbiopsies after 6 and 11 y of storage.
Design:
Microbiopsies were taken from a lump of human adipose tissue and stored at +20 and -80 degrees C.
Setting:
Laboratory study.
Results:
After 5.6 y at -80 degrees C the proportion of six out of seven highly polyunsaturated fatty acids varied between 91 and 102% (mean 97%) of their baseline values. Storage at +20 degrees C yielded recoveries between 82 and 105%. After 11 y at -80 degrees C the proportions in the original lump of tissue ranged from 88 to 101% (mean 94%).
Conclusion:
n-3 fatty acids in stored fat tissue aspirates are stable for 6-11 y, and are suitable markers of baseline diet in long-term epidemiological studies.
Sponsorship:
Wageningen Centre for Food Sciences.
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