EDITORLAL Structured Lipids: An Alternative Energy Source

Structured triglycerides contain saturated me-dium- (C ~ to Clo) and long-chain (C16 to C18) fatty acids esterified to the same glycerol molecule. These modified lipids represent an alternate form of nutri-ent lipid that potentially offer favorable metabolic properties compared with conventional fat emul-sions derived from soybean or safflower oil. Their novel structures should be distinguished from physi-cal mixtures of medium-(MCT) and long-chain trig-lycerides (LCT), which may share some but not all the attributes of the structured lipids. They also may be the forerunner prototypes for subsequent generations of custom lipids designed for specific clinical needs. Conventional fat emulsions are largely compose