Abstract
Fatty acid analysis requires standardized collection and storage of samples, which can be a challenge under field conditions. This study describes the effect of storage temperature on fatty acid composition in two sets of whole blood samples collected from 66 children in a rural area in Cambodia. The samples were stored with butylated hydroxytoluene at -20°C and -80°C and the latter required extra transfers due to storage facility limitation. Fatty acid composition was analyzed by high-throughput gas-chromatography and evaluated by paired t-tests and Bland-Altman plots. Total amounts of fat in -20°C and -80°C samples did not differ, but there was relatively more highly unsaturated fatty acids (15.8±2.7 vs. 14.4±2.5%, p<0.001) and a lower n-6/n-3 ratio (6.4±1.4 vs. 6.9±1.4, p<0.001) in the -20°C samples. Our results indicate that the importance of storage temperature should be evaluated in the context of storage facility availability and risk of temperature fluctuations during transport.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes & Essential Fatty Acids |
| Volume | 96 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Pages (from-to) | 57-61 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| ISSN | 0952-3278 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 May 2015 |