Trans Fatty acids intakes, typical

The estimated trans-acyl group intake by typical U.S. consumers is 11.1-27.6 g/ person/day (341). A comprehensive review concluded that trans-acyl groups consumed at 4.0% or more of total calories may raise plasma lipid levels (342). As a result of health concerns over the presence of trans-acyl groups in our diet, modifying fatty acid composition of soybean oil to improve its oxidative and flavor stability in ways similar to that obtained by hydrogenation, but without transformation, has become an objective of plant breeders. 

The meat and milk from ruminant are often blamed for their high content of saturated fatty acids (SFA), intake of which is correlated to an increase in the risk of chronic diseases in humans (Burlingame et al. 1999) and for the relatively poor content of the health promoting polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). At a first glimpse this would seem a paradox, as ruminants diet is typically based on forages and grains which contain much greater proportions of PUFA than SFA (Morand-Fehr and Tran 2001). 

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