Absorption and metabolism of conjugated α-linolenic acid given as free fatty acids or triacylglycerols in rats

Background: Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a group of polyunsaturated fatty acids which have been extensively studied in the past two decades. However, conjugated octadecatrienoic acid such as cis-9,trans-11,cis-15 and cis-9,trans-13,cis-15, recently identified, have not been extensively investigated. This work presents bioavailability and tissue incorporation of a mixture of conjugated octadecatrienoic (CLnA) acids ingested as free fatty acids (FFA) and triacylglycerols (TAG). Results: Male Wistar rats were fed rumenic acid (RA: cis-9,trans-11 18:2) and a CLnA mixture (cis9,trans-11,cis-15 18:3 and cis-9,trans-13,cis-15 18:3) as FFA and TAG for 8 days. RA and CLnA were both totally absorbed when given as FFA as well as TAG. Both isomers of CLnA as FFA or TAG were incorporated into neutral lipids. Metabolites up to 22:6 conjugated isomers were present in liver and plasma phospholipids of rats fed the CLnA diets. Conclusion: Finally, CLnA are as well absorbed as RA in vivo and their incorporation into tissues and bioconversion are similar when ingested as FFA or as TAG

Differential impact of milk fatty acid profiles on cardiovascular risk biomarkers in healthy men and women

International audienceObjectives: to evaluate the impact of three specific ruminant (R) milk fats resulting from modification of the cow's diet on cardiovascular risk factors in healthy volunteers. R-milk fats were characterized by increased content in total trans fatty acids (R-TFA) and parallel decrease in saturated fatty acids (SFA). Methods: 111 healthy, normolipemic men and women have been recruited for a monocentric, randomised, double-blind, and parallel intervention, 4-week controlled study. Volunteers consumed 3 experimental products (butter, dessert cream and cookies) made with one of the 3 specific milk fats (55 g fat/day). During the first week (run-in period), the subjects consumed on a daily basis dairy products containing 72% SFA/2.85% R-TFA (called "L0"). For the next 3 weeks of the study (intervention period), the first group continued to consume L0 products. The second group received dairy products containing 63.3% SFA/4.06% R-TFA (called "L4"), and the third group received dairy products containing 56.6% SFA/12.16% R-TFA (called "L9"). Results: plasma concentrations of HDL-cholesterol was not significantly altered by either diet (p = 0.38). Compared to L0 diet, L4 diet contributed to reduce LDL-cholesterol (-0.140.38 mmol/L, p= 0.04), total cholesterol (-0.130.50 mmol/L, p = 0.04), LDL-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol (-0.140.36, p = 0.03) and total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol (-0.180.44, p = 0.02). Conclusion: different milk fat profiles can change cardiovascular plasma parameters in human healthy volunteers. A limited increase of the R-TFA/SFA ratio in dairy products is associated with an improvement in some cardiovascular risk factors. However, a further increase in R-TFA/SFA ratio has no additional benefit

Pulses for Sustainability: Breaking Agriculture and Food Sectors Out of Lock-In

Crop diversification can improve the sustainability of Western agriculture. In particular, pulses are crops that can help both agriculture and the food industry become more ecological, as they reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help reduce animal-based consumption. Today, however, the development of these crops in Europe has been hindered due to lock-in, since major crops have been co-developed to a greater extent in farming and food systems. After briefly reviewing the major mechanisms that lead to this lock-in, this article adopts a co-evolution framework to address the interconnected transition of agriculture and food systems. We explore how current societal trends in the agrifood system offer new opportunities for pulses, and how simultaneous changes both in production and consumption can facilitate this dual transition. Drawing on insights from the literature and interviews with stakeholders in France—taken here as examples—we argue that to develop pulses, strong support is required from public institutions to coordinate and guide the multiple actors involved in the same direction

Multiscale structures of lipids in foods as parameters affecting fatty acid bioavailability and lipid metabolism.

This review is respectfully dedicated to the memory of Michel Ollivon, Research Director at CNRS (Châtenay-Malabry, France), outstanding physico-chemist specialist of lipid organization, recipient of the Hilditch Memorial Lecture award, who was the initiator of the network RMT LISTRAL. We are also sadly paying tribute to Jean-Luc Vendeuvre, Food Engineer at the French Pork and Pig Institute (IFIP, Maisons-Alfort, France), outstanding expert in meat products who participated actively in RMT LISTRAL and provided unpublished data for figures in the present review, who passed away during review submission. RMT LISTRAL: Mixed Technological Network combining academic and industrial partners, devoted to the enhancement and divulgation of knowledge regarding structured dietary lipids.International audienceOn a nutritional standpoint, lipids are now being studied beyond their energy content and fatty acid (FA) profiles. Dietary FA are building blocks of a huge diversity of more complex molecules such as triacylglycerols (TAG) and phospholipids (PL), themselves organised in supramolecular structures presenting different thermal behaviours. They are generally embedded in complex food matrixes. Recent reports have revealed that molecular and supramolecular structures of lipids and their liquid or solid state at the body temperature influence both the digestibility and metabolism of dietary FA. The aim of the present review is to highlight recent knowledge on the impact on FA digestion, absorption and metabolism of: (i) the intramolecular structure of TAG; (ii) the nature of the lipid molecules carrying FA; (iii) the supramolecular organization and physical state of lipids in native and formulated food products and (iv) the food matrix. Further work should be accomplished now to obtain a more reliable body of evidence and integrate these data in future dietary recommendations. Additionally, innovative lipid formulations in which the health beneficial effects of either native or recomposed structures of lipids will be taken into account can be foreseen

Diversité des agricultures – le cas des filières céréales, oléagineux et légumineuses à graines

L’objectif de cet article est de décrire, sans être exhaustif, la diversité des agricultures en mobilisant des exemples au niveau du système technique et des pratiques culturales, pour la France métropolitaine et pour trois filières : les céréales, les oléagineux et les légumineuses à graines. L’analyse de la diversité des agricultures montre que des voies de diversification des systèmes techniques et des pratiques culturales existent, mais que celles-ci sont fortement dépendantes de la diversité des voies de valorisation dans les filières. Au sein de ces dispositifs de valorisation, hormis quelques dispositifs spécifiques, les recommandations sur les pratiques sont suffisamment vastes pour permettre une diversité de systèmes de culture et de production, dès lors que les critères technologiques d’accès à la filière sont atteints. Il convient alors de s’interroger sur le poids de ces critères technologiques sur les choix techniques des agriculteurs. Il apparait également nécessaire de questionner la valeur donnée à la diversité par les différents acteurs des filières, de l’agriculteur au consommateur, en évaluant notamment la performance économique des systèmes agricoles les plus diversifiés ainsi que les leviers pour augmenter les performances d’une agriculture diversifiée. Il s’agit d’élargir le socle de connaissances sur lequel les acteurs pourront concevoir eux-mêmes de nouvelles formes de diversité et d’ouvrir le débat avec les acteurs des filières sur la préservation des formes de diversité des agricultures comme potentiel de résilience

Mise au point sur les acides gras trans

National audienceThere are debates regarding Trans fatty acids (FFA): While the TFA effects, of industrial origin are well documented, the impact of consumption of TFA, of natural origin (produced from ruminants) remains little known.Les acides trans (AGT) font débat. Pourtant, alors que les effets des AGT d'origine industrielle sont bien documentés, l'impact de la consommation des AGT d'origine naturelle (produits issus de ruminants) reste peu connu

Industrial vs ruminant trans fatty acids and cardiovascular disease risk, from intervention studies to meta-analyses

International audienc

Label or not label, that's (still) the question!

National audienc