Effect of dietary lipids on saliva composition.

The effects of feeding two different dietary fats on saliva composition were studied in monkeys. Two groups of adult monkeys (M. fascicularis) were fed diets containing 10% corn oil (CO) or 10% hydrogenated coconut oil (HCO). Pilocarpine-stimulated parotid and submandibular saliva samples were obtained at 0, 17, 26 and 29 weeks. These, along with blood plasma, were extracted for lipids, and the fatty acid composition of total lipids was determined by gas chromatography. The levels of linoleic acid in saliva were significantly lower in monkeys fed a diet containing HCO as compared to the other group. Total protein and alpha-amylase activity of saliva showed no difference between the two groups. The results show that nature of the dietary fats can affect the fatty acid composition of parotid and submandibular saliva.