Effects of Omega-3 enriched pork lard on the serum lipid profile and gut microbiome in high fat diet fed C57BL/6NJ

Hypertriglyceridemia is a condition where the serum triglyceride is elevated. It is considered a risk factor for all coronary artery dies as well as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) when left untreated. Omega-3 fatty acids are one of the common supplements suggested for hypertriglyceridemia patients, either in the form of supplements or diets. Due to some limitations, such as availability, diet culture, and cost of living, omega-3 fatty acids might not be available to some patients. The concept of enriching omega-3 fatty acids in everyday diets has the potential to eliminate limitations the patients might have. Hence, omega-3 enriched meat, such as eggs, chicken meat, and pork meat are commercially available, and scientific evidence to support the effectiveness of the enriched omega-3 in the diet is required to prove such benefits. These preclinical studies were divided into 2 experiments, aimed to identify the serum lipid lowering effects of omega-3 enriched pork lard as a key ingredient in the meal. In the first experiment, 32 adult male C57BL/6NJ mice were divided into 4 (2)groups, each group received a control diet, 10% fat diet (10% fat), 20% fat diet (20% fat), and 40% fat diet (40% fat) for 28 days. At the end of the first experiment, the 40% fat group showed the highest serum cholesterol, LDL, and HDL (p < 0.05). Fecal microbiota showed the 40% fat group had the highest abundance of Bacteroidaceae (p< 0.05). Based on the results of the first experiment, the 40% fat diet was used for diet formulation in experiment 2. In the second experiment, 24 adult male C57BL/6NJ mice were divided into 3 groups. Each group received control diet, 40% high fat diet (HFD) made from purified omega-3 enriched pork lard (omega lard group), or 40% HFD made from coconut oil (coconut oil group) for 28 days. The results showed that the omega lard group had lower serum cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL than the coconut oil group (p < 0.05). Omega lard group also showed a higher abundance of Lachnospiraceae (p < 0.05), a beneficial short chain fatty acid (SCFA) producing bacteria. These results suggested enriching omega-3 in everyday diet may reduce serum lipid profile and improve the abundance of Lachnospiraceae.