Effects of rumen bacterial lipases on ruminal lipid metabolism

The burden of chronic, fat-related diseases upon the NHS is reaching a critical level and can be linked to an increased intake of saturated fats (SFA). SFAs are found in many products, including red meat and milk despite the ruminant diet being rich in health-beneficial poly-unsaturated fatty acids1,2. This is due to lipolysis and biohydrogenation (fig 1), processes that saturate PUFA in the rumen to protectbacteria from PUFA’s toxic double bonds1,2,3. Enhancing lipolysis could decrease biohydrogenation due to the presence of higher levels of PUFA