Bioavailability of n-3 fatty acids from n-3-enriched foods and fish oil with different oxidative quality in healthy human subjects: a randomised single-meal cross-over study

Inger Ottestad; Berit Nordvi; Gjermund Vogt; Marianne Holck; Bente Halvorsen; Kirsti W Brønner; Kjetil Retterstøl; Kirsten B Holven; Astrid Nilsson; Stine M Ulven

doi:10.1017/jns.2016.34

Bioavailability of n-3 fatty acids from n-3-enriched foods and fish oil with different oxidative quality in healthy human subjects: a randomised single-meal cross-over study

J Nutr Sci. 2016 Oct 28:5:e43. doi: 10.1017/jns.2016.34. eCollection 2016.

Authors

Inger Ottestad^{1

2

3}, Berit Nordvi⁴, Gjermund Vogt⁵, Marianne Holck¹, Bente Halvorsen^{3

6}, Kirsti W Brønner⁴, Kjetil Retterstøl^{2

3

7}, Kirsten B Holven^{2

3

8}, Astrid Nilsson⁹, Stine M Ulven^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health, Nutrition and Management, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, PO Box 4 St. Olavs plass, 0130 Oslo, Norway.
² Department of Nutrition, Institute for Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1046 Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway.
³ Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
⁴ TINE SA, R&D Centre, PO Box 7 Kalbakken, 0902 Oslo, Norway.
⁵ Eurofins Food & Feed Testing Norway AS, Møllebakken 40, 1538 Moss, Norway.
⁶ Research Institute of Internal Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, PO Box 4950 Nydalen, 0424 Oslo, Norway.
⁷ Lipid Clinic, Medical Department, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, PO Box 4950 Nydalen, 0424 Oslo, Norway.
⁸ Department of Endocrinology, Morbid Obesity and Preventive Medicine, Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Familial Hypercholesterolemia, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, PO Box 4950 Nydalen, 0424 Oslo, Norway.
⁹ Nofima AS, Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research, Osloveien 1, 1430 Ås, Norway.

Abstract

Regular consumption of long-chain n-3 fatty acids (LC n-3 FA) reduces postprandial triacylglycerolaemia. Functional foods and supplements are alternative sources of LC n-3 FA; however, emulsification technologies, food matrices and altered lipid oxidation levels affect their bioavailability. Moreover, which functional foods are optimal LC n-3 FA carriers is unknown. The aim of the study was to determine the bioavailability of LC n-3 FA and the postprandial TAG response after the intake of oxidised or non-oxidised cod liver oil and after the intake of emulsified or non-emulsified LC n-3 FA using novel functional food items as LC n-3 FA carriers in a randomised cross-over acute study. A total of twenty-four healthy subjects completed the study in which subjects consumed one of four different test meals containing 1·5 g LC n-3 FA, or a control meal with no LC n-3 FA. Postprandial TAG-rich lipoproteins were isolated and their fatty acid composition was measured. The LC n-3 FA from emulsified foods were more rapidly incorporated into TAG-rich lipoproteins compared with non-emulsified foods. The incorporation of LC n-3 FA was similar for oils emulsified in yogurt or juice and was unaffected by the oxidative status of the oil. Postprandial TAG levels did not differ among the various test meals. In conclusion, emulsification increases the bioavailability of LC n-3 FA through a more rapid incorporation into TAG-rich lipoproteins, and juice and yogurt are equally suited as LC n-3 FA carriers. The acute intake of oxidised cod liver oil does not influence the incorporation of LC n-3 FA into TAG-rich lipoproteins.

Keywords: Cross-over studies; DHA; EPA; Fish oil; LC n-3 FA, long-chain n-3 fatty acid; Oxidised fish oil; Postprandial TAG; n-3-Enriched food.