Pancreatic lipase hydrolysis of triglycerides by a semimicro technique

TLDR

The study presents a rapid semimicro method for pancreatic lipase hydrolysis of triglycerides, followed by TLC isolation and conversion to methyl esters for GLC fatty acid analysis. The technique works with only a few milligrams of triglycerides or fats, demonstrates nearly absolute specificity of pancreatic lipase for the 1,3 ester groups, can serve as a purity criterion for di‑ and tri‑acid triglycerides, and shows that 83 % of palmitic acid but only 10–12 % of stearic and C18 unsaturated acids in commercial lard occupy the 2‑position.

Abstract

Abstract Procedures are described for rapid lipase hydrolysis of triglycerides, isolation of the hydrolytic products by TLC and their conversion to methyl esters and fatty acid analysis by GLC. The techniques are applicable to a few mg of triglycerides or fats. Examples of data obtained with purified triglycerides indicate that the specific action of pancreatic lipase for the 1,3 ester groups is nearly absolute and the technique may be used as a criterion of purity of di‐ and tri‐acid triglycerides. Ca. 83% of the palmitic but only 10~12% of stearic and C 18 unsaturated acids of commercial lard occur in 2‐position.