The effects of different fat structures on postprandial responses in healthy subjects.

Human milk is considered as the ideal food for full-term infants. The
composition and function of human milk is unique and has provided the basis for
the development of modern artificial milk formulas that mimic its complex
biological positive effects on infants and can provide an appropriate
substitute for non-breastfed infants. An important component in human milk are
the lipids, as they deliver 50% of the total energy to infants. Nowadays,
mostly vegetable fat blends are used in infant formula, but the use of bovine
milk fat is increasing. In terms of fat structure, bovine milk fat and
vegetable fats differ. Bovine milk fat has a higher percentage of palmitic acid
attached to the sn-2 position of the glycerol backbone compared to vegetable
fat. Also bovine milk fat contains milk fat globular membranes, as opposed to
vegetable fat. Knowledge on how these differences influence underlying
mechanistic, immune and metabolic responses is lacking.

The primary objective of this study is to determine the effect of three
different fat blends on underlying mechanistic and immune responses in the
circulation. The secondary objectives of this study are: 1) to examine the
effects of the three different fat blends on postprandial triglyceride
concentration and other cardio-metabolic markers in the circulation, 2) to
investigate the effect of the three different fat blends on postprandial
feelings of hunger and satiety, and 3) to investigate how comparable cytokine
measurements are in blood samples obtained via catheter cannula compared to
cytokine measurements in dried blood spots obtained via a finger prick.

The POEMI Study is a double*blind randomized cross*over acute intervention
study in which each research subject will visit the university on three
separate occasions with a wash-out period of at least one week. At each visit
the research subject will undergo one of the three dietary lipid challenge
tests (a shake) in a randomized order. On each study day, we will insert a
catheter cannula in an antecubital vein of the research subject and
subsequently wait 30 minutes before continuing with the measurements. After the
30 minute rest, blood will be drawn from the catheter cannula and via a finger
prick (baseline measurements, t0). After the baseline measurements, the
research subjects will have to consume the shake within a time frame of 10
minutes. Blood is again drawn from the catheter cannula at t= 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
7, and 8 hours after consumption, with an additional finger prick at t=6. A
questionnaire on hunger and satiety feelings will be taken after every blood
draw.

The dietary lipid challenge tests will be provided in the form of a liquid
shake (0.6 L). Each shake will contain 95 gram of fat. The three types of fat
that will be tested include: a) 100% vegetable fat blend, b) 100% Anhydrous
milk fat (AMF), c) 100% cream (AMF + milk fat globular membranes).

Research subjects that participate in this study, will have to invest a total
of 31 hours. The total amount of blood collected on each test day will be 158.5
ml, plus once 3 ml during the screening, thus in total 478.5 ml. There are
minor risks for the research subjects during the study. Blood sampling can
occasionally cause a local hematoma or bruise and some research subjects may
report pain or mild discomfort. The consumption of the high-fat shakes is not
expected to be associated with any risk, although in rare cases it could lead
to mild gastro-intestinal discomfort. Research subjects will receive ¤300,-
after completion of the study. They will also receive a repayment of made
traveling expenditures (up to 30 km, one way), a meal the night before each of
the three study days, and a meal after each study day.