A New Discovery In The Composition of Fats

Taupo Times, Volume I, Issue 10, 19 March 1952, Page 2

A New Discovery In The Composition of Fats

Scientists of New Zealand, carrying out research on the composition of fats, have discovered minor amounts of fatty acids that had not previously been located in natural fats. Considerable scientific interest has been aroused overseas by this discovery, although its significance has not yet been determined. Research workers of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research besides making investigations on particular problems of known specific application are also engaged on pure research, since future scientific progress depends on this fundamental research that is directed to a better understanding of the phenomena of matter and processes, and not aimed at immediate practical results. Almost inevitably such work becomes in due course of the'greatest econonfic significance, and is in fact largely the basis of our present civilisation. Workers on pure research at the Fats Research Laboratory of the Department has isolated minor amounts of brancheci-chain fatty acids (as distinct from the usual straightchain acids present in fats) from butterfat, from beef suet, and from mutton fat. These acids had not formerly been discovered in natural fats, despite the numerous investigations by scientists on fats since 1823 when the French scientist Chevreul ddscovered their chemical nature. Branched^chain acids had previously been loeated only in the liquids of certain bacteria, in wool grease, and in synthetic fats such as the German "ersatz" butter. It is not unreasonable to suppose that some branched-chain acids may in their functions he analogous to vitamins; others may he anti-genic. A recent communication, arising from. this discovery and sent by two German research workers, indicates that certain synthesized branchedchain acids have an anti-tubercular effect. One claim for the beneficial value of synthetic fat was that it was more suitable for diabetics, be cause the acids with an odd numbei of carbon atoms do not give rise to acetone as an end product of metabolism. Experiments will ,he made to fully investigate the nutritional and biological properties of these suhstances. Of particular interest is the recent isolation from mutton fat by the Fats Research Laboratory of a branched-chain acid, which in 1945 was found in wool grease. This finding establishes that certain branchchain acids isolated from wool grease and. persumably secreted by the sebaceous glands of sheep are also present in other fatty tissues of this animal.