title: Comparison of triglycerides and phospholipids as supplemental sources of dietary long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in piglets.
abstract: Addition of arachidonic acid (AA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to infant formula promotes visual and neural development. This study was designed to determine whether the source of dietary long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) affected overall animal health and safety. Piglets consumed ad libitum from 1 to 16 d of age a skim milk-based formula with different fat sources added to provide 50% of the metabolizable energy. Treatment groups were as follows: control (CNTL; no added LCPUFA), egg phospholipid (PL), algal/fungal triglyceride (TG) oils, TG plus PL (soy lecithin source) added to match phospholipid treatment (TG + PL) and essential fatty acid deficient (EFAD). Formulas with LCPUFA provided 0.6 and 0.3 g/100 g total fatty acids as AA and DHA, respectively. CNTL piglets had 40% longer ileal villi than PL piglets (P < 0.03), but the TG group was not different from the CNTL group. Gross liver histology did not differ among any of the formula-fed groups (P > 0.1). Apparent dry matter digestibility was 10% greater in CNTL, TG and TG + PL groups compared with PL piglets (P < 0.002). No differences in alanine aminotransferase were detected among treatments, but aspartate aminotransferase was elevated (P < 0.03) in PL piglets compared with TG + PL piglets. Total plasma AA concentration was greater in the TG group compared with CNTL piglets (P < 0.05). Total plasma DHA concentrations were greater in TG piglets compared with PL (P < 0.06) or CNTL (P < 0.02) piglets. These data demonstrate that the algal/fungal TG sources of DHA and AA may be a more appropriate supplement for infant formulas than the egg PL source based on piglet plasma fatty acid profiles and apparent dry matter digestibilities.
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004063:Digestion; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000097:blood; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007082:Ileum / Q000473:pathology; D007225:Infant Food / Q000032:analysis / Q000592:standards*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D013552:Swine; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D010743:Phospholipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase