Determination of Omega-3 and Omega-6

Inquiry

Lifeasible specializes in milk-related testing and offers services to help detect omega-3 (ω - 3) and omega-6 (ω - 6) family polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in milk and milk products.

It is essential to detect ω - 3 and ω - 6 PUFAs in milk. The fatty acid profile of milk, especially the essential fatty acid profile, is an important indicator for assessing the nutritional value of milk. There are two types of essential fatty acids, the ω - 3 family of PUFAs with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) as the parent and the ω - 6 family of PUFAs with linoleic acid (LA) as the parent. The ω - 3 and ω - 6 PUFAs present in the milk of ruminants and non-ruminants are important sources of essential fatty acids. Further, ω - 3 and ω - 6 families are the two main families of PUFAs. They greatly affect human health (Fig. 1) and the ω - 6/ω - 3 ratio affects the prevention and management of obesity.

Fig. 1 Effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and ω - 3/ω - 6 on human wellness (Mollica et al., 2021).

Our Services

We help determine ω -3 and ω - 6 in milk and milk products mainly using gas-liquid chromatography. The method starts with extracting lipids and liposoluble compounds from milk, followed by fatty acid methylation. Then the equipment is used for the qualitative and quantitative determination of fatty acid methyl esters. Finally, the relevant fatty acid content is calculated based on the test results. The method can detect various types of milk, including raw milk, homogenized milk, fermented milk, evaporated milk, and dry milk products.

Test contents：

Name and abbreviation	Chain length	Double bond designation	Systematic name
Linoleic acid, LA	C18:2	ω - 6	(9Z,12Z)-octadeca-9,12-dienoic acid
alpha -Linolenic acid, α-LNA	C18:3	ω - 3	(9Z,12Z,15Z)-octadeca-9,12,15-trienoic acid
Stearidonic acid, SDA	C18:4	ω - 3	(6Z,9Z,12Z,15Z)-octadeca-6,9,12,15-tetraenoic acid
Eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA	C20:5	ω - 3	(5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z,17Z)-eicosa-5,8,11,14,17- pentaenoic acid
Dipicolinic acid, DPA	C22:5	ω - 3	(7Z,10Z,13Z,16Z,19Z)-docosa-7,10,13,16,19- pentaenoic acid
Docosahexaenoic acid, DHA	C22:6	ω - 3	(4Z,7Z,10Z,13Z,16Z,19Z)-docosa-4,7,10,13,16,19- hexaenoic acid

Operation flow：

Fig. 2 Operation flow for determination of omega-3 and omega-6 - Lifeasible.

Test report：
We provide an experimental report containing all the information required for the complete determination of ω - 3 and ω - 6 PUFAs. The main components are
(1) Experimental reagents
(2) Equipment apparatus
(3) Operational details
(4) Experimental test results
(5) Calculation results
(6) Operation reference standards

Main reference standards：
ISO 23065:2009
ISO 15884:2002
ISO 14156:2001

Note

We also offer transesterification-based gas-liquid chromatography to determine ω -3 and ω - 6 in milk and milk products. The method mainly refers to ISO 16958:2015.

Lifeasible specializes in milk-related testing and offers services to help detect essential fatty acids in milk and milk products, including ω -3 and ω - 6 PUFAs. We have qualified analytical equipment, skilled staff, and extensive analytical experience. We can provide our customers with reliable and comprehensive determination for essential fatty acids in milk and milk products. We also offer other milk fatty acid and fat detection services. Please contact us with your requirements.

References

Khan, I, T,; et al, Antioxidant properties of milk and dairy products: a comprehensive review of the current knowledge, Lipids in Health and Disease, 2019, 18(1): 41,
Mollica, M, P,; et al, Milk fatty acid profiles in different animal species: Focus on the potential effect of selected PUFAs on metabolism and brain functions, Nutrients, 2021, 13(4): 1111.
Simopoulos, A, P, An increase in the omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratio increases the risk for obesity, Nutrients, 2016, 8(3): 128.

Our products/services are For Research Use Only. Not For Clinical Use!

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