The Role of Lipid Molecular Structure in Food Technology and Health

Lipids are a diverse group of molecules that are important in food production and play a role in supporting health. These effects are driven in part by the lipid molecular structure. Modification of this structure-including changing the fatty acid composition, introducing specific functional groups, or the reconfiguration of glycerol backbones-can alter lipid properties. Changes to lipid molecular structures can be generated through different chemical and enzymatic processes, resulting in particular structures with specific applications. Lipid structures used in food production are typically applied to improve emulsification, stability, and texture of certain food products. Structuration may also influence lipid digestion and absorption, which impacts lipid metabolism, tissue distribution and their resulting health benefits. This review provides an overview of well-known structured lipids-including 1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoyl glycerol (OPO), medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), long or medium-chain fatty acids (respectively LCFAs and MCFAs) together with short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) triglycerides and mono and diacylglycerols-in the context of both their food technology applications as well as their role in health, and outlines future research required to better understand these valuable lipids.