Hydrogenated Marine Fat, its Influence on the Fatty Acid Composition of Depot Fats and Liver Lipids in the Rat

Abstract

Diets containing moderate amounts of partly hydrogenated marine fat [herring oil], lard or no added experimental fat at all were fed young male rats. The fatty acid composition of the peritoneal and subcutaneous fat depots and total liver lipids were determined by GLC [gas liquid chromatography] after 5, 10, 15 and 20 weeks. Simultaneously a study was made of the effect of interchange between these diets on these fatty acid patterns. The results indicate that all diets gave similar fatty acid patterns, and that a direct relation between dietary fat and fatty acid deposition did not exist. Certain fatty acids were deposited to different extents and in a selective manner. The long chain fatty acids of hydrogenated marine fat showed little deposition at the dietary level employed in this study. No clear relationship between the type of diet and the fatty acid composition of liver lipids was observed.