Eicosapentaenoic acid infants

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have various physiological functions and are widely used as pharmaceuticals, neutraceuticals, and as food additives. The ethyl ester of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) has been used for the treatment of arteriosclerosis and hyperlipemia since 1991 in Japan (Hara, 1993). DHA possesses not only similar physiological activities to those of EPA, but also an important function in the brain and retina (Hung, 2007). In addition, DHA accelerates the growth of preterm infants as does arachidonic acid (Carlson et al., 1993 Lanting et al., 1994). From these reasons, DHA ethyl ester (DHAEE) is currently expected to be used as a medicine, and the development of the purification methods is desired. 

Various sources of LC-PUFA for infant formula supplementation are available. They include fish oil, egg phospholipids, and single-cell oil. DHA is available primarily from the marine food chain, i.e., marine fish, shellfish, and algae. Although fish oil is the most readily available source of DHA, it has an undesirably high eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20 5n-3) level, which may interfere with AA status and growth (6). Consequently, the addition of both DHA and AA to infant formulas has been recommended. Egg phospholipid is another dietary source for DHA and AA. Direct addition of egg yolk to formula may produce phospholipid levels far greater than levels found in breast milk. However, a tracer experiment has demonstrated that DHA and AA are better absorbed in phosphoUpid form than in the triacylglyc-eride form found in breast milk and other LC-PUFA sources (7). 

The answer is d. (Murray, pp 258-297. Scriver, pp 2705-2716. Sack, pp 121-138. Wilson, pp 362-367.) Infants placed on chronic low-fat formula diets olten develop skin problems, impaired lipid transport, and eventually poor growth. This can be overcome by including linoleic acid to make up 1 to 2% ol the total caloric requirement. Essential fatty acids are required because humans have only A", A , A , and A fatty acid desaturase. Only plants have desaturase greater than A . Consequently, certain fatty acids such as arachidonic acid cannot be made from scratch (de novo) in humans and other mammals. However, linoleic acid, which plants make, can be converted to arachidonic. acid. Arachidonate and eicosapentaenoate are 20-carbon prostanoic acids that are the starting point of the synthesis of prostaglandins, thromboxanes, and leukotrienes. 

Several spedes are of commercial interest for the fish feed industry and as natural sources of PUFAs for health food and infant nutrition formulas. Health food applications focus on products containing eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) while infant formulas contain arachidonic acid (ARA) and DHA as PUFA components. EPA enriched products are mainly based on purified fish oils, whereas ARA and DHA are also produced microbially in an industrial scale. ... 

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