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Acylglycerol structure of genetic varieties of peanut oils of varying atherogenic potential
Author(s) -
Manganaro F.,
Myher J. J.,
Kuksis A.,
Kritchevsky D.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
lipids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.601
H-Index - 120
eISSN - 1558-9307
pISSN - 0024-4201
DOI - 10.1007/bf02535049
Subject(s) - chemistry , enantiomer , linoleic acid , composition (language) , fatty acid , food science , glycerol , peanut oil , organic chemistry , raw material , philosophy , linguistics
Detailed investigation was made of the triacylglycerol structure of three varieties of peanut oils of varying atherogenic activity. By means of chromatographic and stereospecific analyses, it was shown that all the oils had markedly nonrandom enantiomeric structures with the long chain saturated fatty acids (C 20 −C 24 ) confined exclusively to the sn ‐3‐position, whereas the palmitic and oleic acids were distributed about equally between the sn ‐1‐and sn ‐3‐positions, with the linoleic acid being found preferentially in the sn ‐2‐position. On the basis of detailed studies of the molecular species of the separate sn ‐1,2‐, sn ‐2,3‐ and sn ‐1,3‐diacylglycerol moieties, it was concluded that the fatty acids in the three positions of the glycerol molecule are combined with each other solely on the basis of their relative molar concentrations. As a result, it was possible to calculate the composition of the molecular species of the peanut oil triacylglycerols (including the content of the enantiomers and the reverse isomers) by means of the 1‐random 2‐random 3‐random distribution. In general, the three peanut oils possessed triacylglycerol structures which where closely similar to that derived earlier for a commercial peanut oil of North American origin. Since their oil has exhibited a high degree of atherogenic potential, it was anticipated that the present oils would likewise be atherogenic, which has been confirmed by biological testing. However, there are certain differences in the triacylglycerol structures among these oils, which can be correlated with the variations in their atherogenic activity. The major differences reside in the linoleic/oleic acid ratios in the triacylglycerols, especially in the sn ‐2‐position, and in the proportions in which these acids are combined with the long chain fatty acids. On the basis of the characteristic structures identified in the earlier analyzed atherogenic peanut oil, the peanut oil of South American origin would be judged to possess the greatest atherogenic potential and this has been borne out by biological testing.