The 1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-oleoylglycerol (POP), 1,3-distearoyl-2-oleoylglycerol (SOS) and trioleoylglycerol (OOO)- type of fats have different melting characteristics that may affect postprandial haemostatic and inflammatory marker concentrations. We tested the hypothesis that the predominance of either palmitic acid (16:0), stearic
acid (18:0) or oleic acid (18:1) at the sn-1 and sn-3 positions of edible fats has different effects on postprandial haemostatic and inflammatory responses. Each of the 36 healthy adults (18 males, 18 females) received three different test muffins [each containing 53 g of test fat, i.e. palm mid-fraction (PMF; POP-rich), shea stearin(SS; SOS-rich) or high-oleic sunflower oil (HOSF; OOO-rich)] on different mornings in random order separated by two weeks. During a postprandial test, each subject was provided with a test muffin plus a low-fat milkshake (total 3.67 MJ or 876 kcal) in the morning and blood samples were collected at half-hourly intervals until 4.0 hr. Overall, no significant difference (p>0.017) was observed between the three test meals for postprandial responses in plasma PAI-1, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor–α (TNF-α)levels. The POP-SOS and OOO- type of tests fats induced similar postprandial responses in haemostatic and inflammatory markers measured in the present subjects.

Keywords: fatty acids, IL-6, postprandial PAI-1, TNF alpha