title: Trans fatty acid content in Serbian margarines: Urgent need for legislative changes and consumer information.
abstract: This study examined the fatty acid (FA) composition of 13 (7 soft and 6 hard) Serbian margarines. Significantly higher amounts of trans fatty acids (TFA) were found in hard margarines (up to 28.84% of total FA), than in soft ones (0.17-6.89%). Saturated FA (SFA) were present with 22.76-51.17%. Oleic acid ranged from 26.78% to 43.78%. The proportion of polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) was 22.15-49.29% in soft margarines, but only 8.02-15.28% in hard margarines, probably due to the hydrogenisation process. The atherogenic and thrombogenic indexes (AI and TI, respectively) in soft margarines were relatively low (AI 0.23-0.63 and TI 0.44-0.97), but in hard margarines AI and particularly TI were high (1.03-1.67 and 1.96-3.04, respectively). These findings suggest that FA composition of Serbian margarines should be improved by replacing atherogenic TFA and SFA with beneficial ones, in order to avoid adverse effects on health. Therefore legislative changes and consumer information are urgently needed.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Tadeuša Košćuška 1, 11129 Belgrade, Serbia. Electronic address: vesna.vucic.imr@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vučić
authors.affiliation: Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Tadeuša Košćuška 1, 11129 Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arsić
authors.affiliation: Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Tadeuša Košćuška 1, 11129 Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Snježana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Petrović
authors.affiliation: School of Pedagogical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Milana Mijalkovića 14, 35000 Jagodina, Serbia.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Milanović
authors.affiliation: Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Tadeuša Košćuška 1, 11129 Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Mirjana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gurinović
authors.affiliation: Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Tadeuša Košćuška 1, 11129 Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Glibetić
mesh_terms: D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000032:analysis; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000032:analysis; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards; D008383:Margarine / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards*; D055771:Serbia; D044242:Trans Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D044242:Trans Fatty Acids; D008383:Margarine
keywords: Atherogenic index; Margarine; Monounsaturated fatty acids; Polyunsaturated fatty acids; Saturated fatty acids; Thrombogenic index; Trans fatty acids