1 research outputs found
Lipid Class Specific Quantitative Analysis of n‑3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Food Supplements
Supplementation
products containing n-3 PUFA from marine sources
serve a large market. Although the amount of eicosapentaenoic acid
and docosahexaenoic acid in the products is provided by the manufacturer,
no or little information is available on their lipid pattern. Therefore,
we quantitatively analyzed the fatty acid pattern in the lipid fractions
triglycerides, phospholipids, ethyl esters, and free fatty acids in
supplementation products by means of solid phase extraction and gas
chromatography. Twelve products from the European and U.S. markets
containing fish, krill, algal, or plant oil were analyzed. Total n-3
PUFA content ranged from 68 g/100 g fat (fish oil) to 42 g/100
g
fat (algal oil) to 17 g/100 g fat (krill oil). On the basis of the
n-3 PUFA containing lipid class, the supplements can be separated
dominantly in ethyl ester, re-esterified triglyceride, triglyceride,
and phospholipid containing products. Algae-based products contained
natural triglycerides, krill oils a complex mixture of phospholipids,
triglycerides, and free fatty acids, and fish oil products either
ethyl esters, re-esterified triglycerides, or triglycerides. Even
products of the same class and source showed distinct differences
in their lipid pattern. A specification of the lipid composition of
n-3 PUFA products would allow distinguishing the different (qualities
of) supplements