Interesterification of fats in margarine: Effect on blood lipids, blood enzymes, and hemostasis parameters

Objectives: In 60 healthy humans, a blend of commonly used edible vegetable fats was compared with the same fat blend after random chemical interesterification, for their effects in terms of nutritional safety on blood lipids, blood enzymes and hemostasis parameters. Design: Both fat blends were supplied double-blind at two energy levels (4 and 8% of energy) in margarine according to a parallel design. At either energy level, the two fat blends were consumed according to a cross-over design for two periods of three weeks, without an intermediate wash-out period. Results: The 30 parameters studied revealed no statistically significant differences between the two fat blends, except for slightly (similar to 10%) lower D-dimers concentrations after consumption of the interesterified fat blend. Conclusions: Increased levels of the fibrin-degradation products D-dimers are positively associated with risk for coronary heart disease. Thus, it was concluded that the inclusion of a chemically interesterified vegetable fat blend in the diet of healthy people does not influence fasting blood lipids, blood enzymes and/or hemostasis parameters in an adverse way, when compared with a non-interesterified fat blend with the same fatty acid composition.