Fatty acid and lipid composition of children's food. I. Analytical methods; composition of commercially available supplementary foods for juniors.

Analytical methods and the results of the analysis of the lipids of commercially available canned supplementary foods for juniors are described. Lipids were extracted, separated into polar and non-polar fractions and the components (triglycerides, monoglycerides, free fatty acids, cholesterol ester, and phospholipids) were then identified and estimated, by comparison with reference substances and by gas chromatography. To determine the degree of unsaturation and positional distribution of the fatty acids, the triglycerides were hydrolyzed by pancreatic lipase to monoglycerides with the fatty acid in 2-position of glycerol, and the fatty acids and the monoglycerides were also separated by gas chromatography. Linoleic acid, 18.2 omega 6, was found as the predominant fatty acid in the 2-position of the triglycerides. The other fatty acids being distributed equally to all positions of glycerol with the exception of few minor fatty acids. Fat contributed to 31 to 48 percent of the total energy supply of the analyzed items; linoleic acid providing 0.4 to 2.4 percent of this energy assuming that one can of these products is consumed daily.