Moose and Caribou as Novel Sources of Functional Lipids

Thu Huong Pham*, Natalia P. Vidal, Charles F. Manful,Tiffany A. Fillier, Ryley P. Pumphrey, Karen M. Doody and Raymond H. Thomas*

Molecules 2019, 24(2), 232; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24020232

Cover Story

Caribou and moose meats or antlers were observed to be rich in functional lipids, i.e., fatty acid esters of hydroxy fatty acids (FAHFAs), diglycerides (DGs), and monoacetyldiglycerides (MAcDGs). Emerging evidence suggests that these are new classes of functional lipids that have been demonstrated to have potential application in pharmaceuticals and functional food formulations in managing and preventing metabolic or inflammatory diseases including obesity, type 2 diabetes, sepsis, and rheumatoid arthritis. In this study, we demonstrated that moose and caribou meat or antlers are significant sources of polyunsaturaed FAHFAs and 1,3-DGs molecular species.

Increasing access to and knowledge of the presence of these functional lipids in foods will enhance their intake in the diet with potential implications in improving personal and population health.

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Keywords: functional lipids; functional foods; fatty acid esters of hydroxy fatty acids; diglycerides; regioisomers; monoacetyldiglycerides