INFLUENCE OF MENHADEN OIL AND OLEIC-ACID RICH SUNFLOWER OIL IN THE DIET ON THE FATTY-ACID PROFILES OF DIFFERENT ORGANS OF RATS

Rats were fed diets containing 15% fish oil (Menhaden) or 15% of an ol eate-enriched variant of sunflower oil (Trisun 80(R)) for 8 weeks, and the fatty acid profiles of liver mitochondria, intestinal mucosa and blood plasma were determined. The concentration of arachidonic acid in the fractions of the Trisun group was two or three times higher than in the menhaden group. However, the eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahe xaenoic acid concentration was much higher in the menhaden group than in the Trisun group. Feeding Trisun, which contained 80% oleic acid, i ncreased the oleic acid portion of the organs to 16 - 33% of total lip ids. An effect of the vitamin E-status of the animals on the fatty aci d profiles was not observed.