Related Experiment Videos
Trans fatty acids (TFA): analysis, occurrence, intake and clinical relevance
H Steinhart1, R Rickert, K Winkler
1Institute of Biochemistry and Food Chemistry, Dept. of Food Chemistry, University of Hamburg, Grindelallee 117, D-20146 Hamburg, Germany. steinhart@lc.chemie.uni-hamburg.de
European Journal of Medical Research
|August 14, 2003
Summary
Trans fatty acids (TFA) are formed from cis fatty acids and have raised health concerns regarding heart disease risk. Reliable identification of TFA in foods requires advanced chromatographic methods.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Science
- Food Chemistry
- Public Health
Background:
- Fatty acids with double bonds, typically in cis configuration, provide significant daily calories.
- Trans fatty acids (TFA) result from the isomerization of cis double bonds during industrial and microbiological processes.
- Public health concerns arose in the 1990s linking TFA intake to increased coronary heart disease risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the formation, occurrence, and health implications of trans fatty acids (TFA).
- To highlight the analytical challenges and methods for TFA identification and quantification in various matrices.
Main Methods:
- Review of epidemiological studies and scientific literature on TFA.
- Discussion of TFA formation pathways in food processing (hydrogenation) and ruminant digestion.
- Overview of chromatographic techniques (GC-FID, GC-MS, GC-FTIR, Ag+-HPLC) for TFA analysis.
Main Results:
- TFA are present in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (e.g., margarine) and ruminant products.
- Trans octadecenoic acids are the predominant dietary TFA (80-90%), with trans vaccenic acid common in milk fat.
- Conflicting results exist regarding TFA's impact on total cholesterol and blood parameters.
Conclusions:
- Reliable identification and quantification of TFA necessitate a combination of chromatographic methods.
- Understanding TFA sources and analytical methods is crucial for dietary assessment and health risk evaluation.