Determination of Trans Fatty Acid Isomers
Trans fatty acids are unsaturated fatty acids with at least one double bond in the trans configuration. These fatty acids are found naturally in milk and other natural oils and in some plants. However, by hydrogenation of vegetable oils, trans fatty acids used in human nutrition are obtained.Today, the metabolic effect of trans isomers is still a matter of debate. Trans fatty acids play a role in the investigation of various metabolic and functional disorders. However, the structural similarity of these isomers to saturated fatty acids and the lack of specific metabolic functions raise concerns because of their health effects.
Concerns about the consumption of foods containing trans fatty acids are increasing due to their harmful effects on human health, especially on the cardiovascular system. It is therefore important to consider the processes that create trans fatty acids in foodstuffs and alternatives to minimize them. For example, the hydrogenation of vegetable oils has important implications for the nutrition of people living in industrialized countries. Processes such as cooking oil refining, meat irradiation, frying and biohydrogenation also increase the daily intake of trans fatty acids.
Hydrogenated oils contain a higher amount of trans fatty acids than oils without hydrogenated oils. Ongoing studies reveal that trans fatty acids increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. On the other hand, hydrogenation (the addition of hydrogen to the double bonds between the carbons of unsaturated fatty acids) is applied in the food industry. This process is carried out in order to increase the flavor stability by reducing the susceptibility to oxidation in oils and to expand the usage areas by changing the physical properties of the oil.
