The selective utilization of diglyceride species into maize triglycerides.

The maize triglycerides were resolved into species by silver nitrate thin layer chromatography. The distribution of the fatty acids among the 1, 2 and 3 positions of each triglyceride species was determined by stereospecific analysis. From these data the relative amounts of each positional isomer were calculated. The results indicate that esterification of the fatty acids at each position proceeds with a specificity that is correlated with the composition of the other positions of the triglyceride.