Cholesterol-lowering effects of modified animal fats in postmenopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
In an attempt to improve the nutritional value of animal fats (including milkfat and lard), two technological approaches (i.e., cholesterol removal by steam distillation and linoleic acid enrichment by addition of safflower oil) were tested for cholesterolemic effects in a cohort of 29 older women (age 68 +/- 7 years).


METHODS
Test fat sources were incorporated into crackers, cookies, cheese, ice cream, whipped topping, sour cream, baking shortening, and table spreads. Subjects were permanent residents of a convent where meals were prepared in a centralized kitchen, allowing test fats to be provided in daily food menu items. The foods containing test fats were introduced into three sequential dietary treatment periods, each lasting 4 weeks, in the following order: cholesterol-reduced animal fat (CRAF): fatty-acid modified, cholesterol-reduced animal fat (FAMCRAF); and-unaltered animal fat (AF). Subjects were offered menu items cafeteria style and encouraged to make food selections consistent with their habitual diets, which were recorded daily.


RESULTS
Fasted blood lipid profiles determined at the end of each treatment period showed that FAMCRAF reduced mean plasma total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B concentrations relative to AF (p < 0.05). Mean HDL cholesterol concentrations were not influenced by diet.


CONCLUSIONS
Relative to native products, animal fats modified by cholesterol removal and linoleic acid enrichment reduced plasma total and LDL cholesterol concentrations in a predictable manner similar to that based on studies of men.
Labat
J B
JB
University of Minnesota, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, St. Paul 55108-6099, USA.
Martini
M C
MC
Carr
T P
TP
Elhard
B M
BM
Olson
B A
BA
Bergmann
S D
SD
Slavin
J L
JL
Hayes
K C
KC
Hassel
C A
CA
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015930:Diet Records; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002149:Energy Intake; D019358:Fat Substitutes / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood*; D012621:Seasons; D013997:Time Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D001053:Apolipoproteins; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D004041:Dietary Fats; D019358:Fat Substitutes; D005227:Fatty Acids; D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol