The Effect of Pork With Modified Fat Composition and Berries on Plasma Fatty Acids and Fecal Compounds in Healthy Adults

The Effect of Pork With Modified Fatty Acid Composition on Plasma Lipids and Fatty Acids and the Effect of Pork and Berries on Fecal Compounds in Healthy Adults

High consumption of red meat is related to cardiovascular diseases. Red meat containing more unsaturated fat than normal red meat may have a beneficial impact on plasma lipid and fatty acid profile in humans. Furthermore, consumption of red meat and especially processed red meat is considered harmful to colon health. However, consumption of fruit and berries rich in antioxidants and flavonoids may provide protection when red meat is consumed.

The study aims to answer whether the fatty acid profile of pork when modified towards more unsaturated fat will affect plasma fatty acids and lipids in adult volunteers. The effects of pork with a modified fatty acid content is compared with conventional pork with lower unsaturated fat content. Fatty acid composition of pork is modified by altering the composition of animal feed.

The other arm of the study investigates the effects of consuming berries together with red meat on gut metabolism. The study focuses on how berries affect the formation of fecal compounds known to be related to high red meat consumption, such as N-nitroso compounds.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Cardiovascular Diseases
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: Modified pork; Dietary supplement: Pork; Dietary supplement: Pork and berries

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 65
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Finland
  • Helsinki, Finland, 00790
    • Division of Nutrition, University of Helsinki

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 20 years to 68 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• diet includes meat

Exclusion Criteria:

• high consumption of fish (4 times per week)
• use of fish oil/ omega-3 oil capsules one month before the intervention
• hypercholesterolemia
• vegetarian, vegan

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Modified pork; Pork with modified fatty acid composition, more unsaturated fat. 160 g pork or pork products daily for 4 weeks, consumption of other red meat is prohibited	Dietary supplement: Modified pork; Pork with modified fatty acid composition; Other Names: Pork with modified fatty acid composition and berries; Pork; Pork and Finnish berries
Active Comparator: Normal pork; Normal pork 160 g pork or pork products daily for 4 weeks, consumption of other red meat is prohibited	Dietary supplement: Pork; Pork with normal fat composition
Experimental: Normal pork and berries; Normal pork and berries (strawberry, raspberry, wild blueberry, lingonberry, cloudberry, blackcurrant) 160 g pork or pork products daily for 4 weeks, consumption of other red meat is prohibited	Dietary supplement: Pork and berries; Pork with normal fat composition and Finnish berries

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in plasma fatty acids as a measure of dietary fatty acid modification		4 weeks
Change in fecal nitroso compounds as a measure of increased (processed) red meat consumption	Measured as apparent total nitroso compounds (ATNC)	4 weeks
Genotoxicity testing of human fecal water in 3D cell culture	Fecal water is isolated from fecal samples collected before and after the intervention period from arms B and C. The samples are tested for markers of genotoxicity in 3D cell culture.	4 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Changes in plasma lipids as a measure of dietary modification	Concentrations of and changes in total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides are measured before and after the intervention period	4 weeks
Concentration of polyphenolics in fecal water as a measure of consumption of berries	The polyphenol content of the fecal water is assessed from arms B and C	4 weeks
Change in hemoglobin as a measure of dietary modification		4 weeks
Change in blood pressure as a measure of dietary modofcation	Blood pressure is measured before and after the study period.	4 weeks
Weight development during the study period	The subjects are weighed before and after the study and their weight is monitored weekly during the study	4 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Helsinki
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Anne-Maria Pajari, PhD, Division of Nutrition, Department of Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki; Principal Investigator: Marja Mutanen, PhD, Division of Nutrition, Department of Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: September 1, 2014
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 1, 2014
• Study Completion (Actual): November 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 21, 2014
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 8, 2015
• First Posted (Estimate): June 11, 2015

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 24, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 17, 2022
• Last Verified: May 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Lipids; Fatty acids; Lipid metabolism; Nitroso compounds; Gut metabolism
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Cardiovascular Diseases
• Other Study ID Numbers: KarniMari-HY