Research on the nutritional characteristics of medium-chain fatty acids.

Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) have attracted attention as part of a healthy diet, because they are absorbed and transported directly into the liver via the portal vein, metabolized rapidly by beta-oxidation, and increase diet-induced thermogenesis. Because medium-chain triacylglycerols (MCT) containing only MCFA has a few weak points as frying oils, we have developed medium- and long-chain triacylglycerols (MLCT). MLCT is produced by lipase-catalyzed enzymatic transesterification. Recently, long-term clinical trials have demonstrated that MLCT and MCT result in less body fat-deposition. MLCT oil (Trade name: Healthy Resseta) is safe and can be substitute for common edible vegetable oils. Healthy Resseta has been approved as FOSHU (Food for Specified Health Use), by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan in December 2002 for use as a cooking oil with a suppressing effect on body fat accumulation. Healthy Resseta is widely sold in Japan.