title: Effects of gamma-irradiated fats on plasma lipid concentrations and hepatic cholesterol metabolism in rats.
abstract: Currently, there is a growing need for food irradiation that is effective in food preservation and quality improvement. Accordingly, this study was designed to observe the effects of gamma-irradiated dietary fat on plasma lipid concentrations and hepatic cholesterol metabolism in rats. Male rats were fed 5-kGy-gamma-irradiated beef tallow (gammaBT), corn oil (gammaCO), perilla oil (gammaPO), and nonirradiated fats (BT, CO, and PO) for 6 weeks. The gamma-irradiated fat feeding did not affect the plasma lipid concentrations. However, the hepatic cholesterol content was significantly higher in the rats fed gamma-CO as compared with the rats fed nonirradiated CO (40.0 vs. 28.2 mg/g liver). The hepatic HMG-CoA (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A) reductase activities were not significantly different between the controls and the gamma-irradiated fat fed groups. However, the hepatic ACAT (acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase) activity was significantly lower in the gammaPO group as compared with its control group (138.2 vs. 404.5 pmol min(-1) mg(-1)). Among the nonirradiated groups, the ACAT activities of the CO and PO groups were higher than that of the BT group. The amounts of coprostanone, cholesterol, and total fecal neutral sterol were significantly higher in the gammaPO group as compared with the other groups. These results indicate that although slight changes in the lipid metabolism were observed as a result of 5-kGy-gamma-irradiated fat feeding, they were relative to the fat type and had no harmful consequences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Kyungpook National University, Taegu, South Korea.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002776:Cholestanes / Q000032:analysis; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D003314:Corn Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000528:radiation effects; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005223:Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000528:radiation effects; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005514:Food Irradiation; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D010938:Plant Oils; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D002785:Sterol O-Acyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000032:analysis; D015430:Weight Gain; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D002776:Cholestanes; D004041:Dietary Fats; D005223:Fats; D008055:Lipids; D010938:Plant Oils; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid; C058216:perilla seed oil; D003314:Corn Oil; D002784:Cholesterol; C013698:tallow; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases; D002785:Sterol O-Acyltransferase; C007123:coprostanone