EFFECT OF DIETARY TRIACYLGLYCEROL FATTY-ACID POSITIONAL DISTRIBUTION ON PLASMA-LIPID CLASSES AND THEIR FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION IN PRETERM INFANTS

Seven premature infants were each fed, for 1 wk in a crossover design. The beta formula contained triacylglycerols resembling the stereoisom eric structure of human milk fat (25.4% by wt 16:0, 76.1% of which is at the sn-2 position), whereas in the ct formula 87.3% of total 16:0 ( 25.7% by wt was at the sn-1,3 positions. Plasma lipids and their fatty acid compositions were determined at the end of each 1 wk study perio d. Infants fed with the beta formula had higher percentages of palmiti c acid in plasma sterol esters, triacylglycerols, and free fatty acids , and lower linoleic acid in triacylglycerols than with the cu formula . Premature infants fed formulas with triacylglycerols 16:0 predominan tly in the sn-2 rather than the sn-1,3 positions had alterations in th eir plasma fatty acids consistent with enhanced absorption of 16:0 fro m the sn-2 compared with the sn-1,3 positions.