ABSTRACT
Fish oil concentrates, fluid or in capsules, have shown beneficial effects on
several risk factors for cardiovasular disease, but their use implies addition
of fat to the diet. In order to overcome this, substitution of fish oil for other
fat in a food product was tried in the present investigation. The effects of a
small dose of fish oil substituted for margarine in bread on plasma
phospholipid fatty acids and serum triglycerides were determined in a
parallel, single-blinded, randomized study in 17 healthy subjects. Daily
intake of 1 g stable fish oil containing 38 percent n-3 fatty acids (Eskimo-3@ )
for 4 weeks increased long-chain n-3 fatty acids in plasma phospholipids by
almost 50 percent (p < 0.05) and decreased serum triglycerides by 17 percent
(p c 0.005). Plasma cl-tocopherol and TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive
substances), measured as malondialdehyde, a marker of lipid peroxidation,
and blood glucose, were unchanged. In a blinded consumer sensory test only
2 out of 195 subjects perceived any taste of fish aroma in the bread
containing fish oil. This study showed that by use of a stable fish oil
preparation it is possible to substitute fish oil for margarine in bread, a food
product consumed in large amounts, and that a small amount of this fish oil
has significant effects on blood lipids, without any signs of lipid
peroxidation