IDENTIFICATION OF NOVEL TRANS ISOMERS OF 20 5N-3 IN LIVER LIPIDS OF RATS FED A HEATED OIL/

Trans polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids are formed as a result of the he at treatment of vegetable oils. It was demonstrated previously that th e 18:3 Delta 9cis, 12cis, 15trans containing a cis Delta 9 ethylenic b ond was converted to a geometrical isomer of 20:5n-3, the 20:5 Delta 5 cis, 8cis, 11cis, 14cis, 17trans. In the present study, we have identi fied two new isomers of eicosapentaenoic acid, the Delta 11 monotrans and the Delta 11,17 ditrans isomers in liver of rats fed a heated oil. These are formed as a result of the conversion of two of the main iso mers of linolenic acid which are present in refined and frying oils, t he 18:3 Delta 9trans, 12cis, 15cis and the 18:3 Delta 9trans, 12cis, 1 5trans.