Non-Transfer of Trans Fatty Acids from Mother to Young

Abstract

Fifteen percent of hydrogenated margarine stock containing 40.7% trans fatty acids was added to a diet consisting of 31% casein, 47% glucose, 5% Wesson salt mix, 2% corn oil and all of the known water and fat soluble vitamins in adequate amounts. Weanling female rats were kept on this diet for 73 days and then were mated with normal males. Immediately after parturition, 8 mothers and their young were sacrificed and the fat was extracted from their carcasses. Two litters were allowed to suckle the maternal milk for 9 days before they were sacrificed. Trans fatty acid content of the carcass fat was determined by the infra red spectrophotometric procedure. Results indicated that less than 0.5% of trans fatty acids was present in the carcass fat of the young at birth, even though the carcass fat of their mothers contained between 23.5-26.8% of trans fatty acids. The carcass fat of the young, which had been allowed to suckle the maternal milk for 9 days contained approximately the same percentage of trans fatty acids as their mothers.