Four phosphatidylcholines (PCs) containing linoleate (LA) and docosahexaenoate (DHA) in known positions were oxidized in an aqueous solution with or without chicken egg albumin, When PC was dispersed with albumin, PC containing DHA was more oxidatively stable than PC containing LA, and 1-palmitoyl (PA)-2-polyunsaturated fatty acyl (PUFA)-PC showed higher oxidative stability than a 1:1 mixture of 1,2-diPUFA-PC + 1,2-diPA-PC. In an aqueous solution without albumin, however, the reverse results were obtained, Albumin had a strong inhibitory effect on the oxidation of PC in an aqueous phase, this action of albumin being more effective on PC containing DHA than on PC containing LA, and more effective on 1-PA-2-PUFA-PC than on 1,2-diPUFA-PC.