Effects of Introducing Linseed in Livestock Diet on Blood Fatty Acid Composition of Consumers of Animal Products

Authors

Pierre Weil, Bernard Schmitt, Guillaume Chesneau, Norohanta Daniel, Faouzi Safraou, Phillipe Legrand

Publication Data

Annals of Nutrition & Metablolism | 2002

Abstract

Reducing the ratio between essential fatty acids: C18:2 n-6/C18:3 n-3 down to 5 is recommended by Nutritional Guidelines. We studied the fatty acid (FA) changes in consumers' plasma following changes in livestock diet. First, a zootechnical study introduced 5% of extruded lin­seed into the diet of livestock to replace other oleaginous ingredients, and on an iso-nutritional values basis. The products from linseed-fed animals contained more n-3 fatty acids (precursor a-linolenic and derivatives ob­tained by elongations and desaturations) than control animal products (issued from animals fed without lin­seed), and more conjugated linoleic acids (CLA). The n-6/n-3 ratio was reduced by 54% in butter, 60% in meat and 86% in eggs. Following this, a double-blind, random­ised, cross-over clinical study involving 75 healthy volun­teers compared plasma and erythrocyte FA profiles in consumers of animal products (from livestock fed the lin­seed diet or from livestock fed standard diet). It showed modifications in the FA composition of the experimental human regimen with more C18:3 n-3 (1.65 vs. 0.75 g/ day), and more n-3 derivatives. The C18:2 n-6/C18:3 n-3 ratio decreased (7 vs. 15). In volunteers' plasma, C18:3 n-3 increased in the essay group (0.93 vs. 0.44% of the FA), so did n-3 derivatives and CLA. The n-6/n-3 ratio decreased from 14.3 to 10.2. In erythrocytes, C20:5 n-3 increased in the essay group (0.59 vs. 0.45%) and so did C22:6 n-3. The n-6/n-3 ratio decreased in parallel from 4.2 to 3.8. Without any changes in consumers' eating habits, foodstuffs from animals fed linseed diets induced significant modifications of human plasma and erythro­cyte fatty acid composition (comparable to that noted under the 'Cretan' diet) and a sharp increase in CLA.

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Single introductions of soil biota and plants generate long-term legacies in soil and plant community assembly

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The Consumption of Food Products from Linseed-Fed Animals Maintains Erythrocyte Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Obese Humans