Abstract

Proportions of "lower" 16:1 and 18:1 trans acids (TL) and "higher" C20 and C22 trans acids (TH) in samples of depot fat taken at postmortem examination from 136 people who had died of ischaemic heart disease (cases) and from those who had died of unrelated causes (controls) have been determined. Whereas mean percentages of TH are virtually identical for cases and controls, the mean value of TL was significantly higher for the case specimens. Although these lower trans acids are present in small amounts in ruminant-animal fat, they are more characteristic of commercially hydrogenated fats. We conclude, therefore, that the cases consumed on average a higher proportion of those hydrogenated fats rich in 16:1 trans and 18:1 trans acids and a lower proportion of ruminant fat than did the controls.