Warning About Fatty Acid Compositions in Some Iranian Mayonnaise Salad Dressings

Objectives: The beneficial or detrimental effects of dietary fats on health and well-being largely depend on their fatty acid composition. The contribution of high intake of trans fatty acids (TFAs) and saturated fatty acids (SFAs) to the risk of coronary heart dis-ease is well documented. In this study, the fatty acid composition of different sam-ples of mayonnaise salad dressing produced in Iran wasanalyzed.Methods: Three most consumed samples from four different brands of Iranian mayonnaises were purchased. Total lipids were extracted with Folch technique. All samples were transformed into methyl ester and analysis of fatty acid methyl esters were performed by gas chromatography (GC) with 60 meters capillary columns and flame ionization detectors.Results: TFAs ranged from 0.6% to 3.5% ,with linolelaidic acid (C18:2 9t, 12t) being the most common form of fatty acid in Iranian mayonnaises, which had high amounts of SFAs (from18.1% to 24.9%) and unsaturated fatty acids (68.4%to 74.4%).Conclusions: The most common type of fatty acids in Iranian tested mayonnaises were unsaturated ones followed by SFAs. Significant variations were found among the contents of TFAs in these products, which is related to their procedure. Improvement of the fat quality in this highly consumed food product might have a long-term impact on prevention of chronic diseases.