This study investigated differences in absorption and metabolism between 1,3-oleate-2-palmitate
glycerol (OPO) and 1-oleate-2-palmitate-3-linoleate
glycerol (OPL) using C57BL/6J mice. OPL was associated with higher postprandial plasma total
triacylglycerol (TG),
low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (
LDL-C) concentrations, and the ratio of
LDL-C to
high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) compared to those of OPO (p > 0.05). OPO significantly increased postprandial
oleic acid (OA) concentrations compared to OPL over the entire monitoring period (p < 0.05), while OPL significantly elevated
linoleic acid (LA) levels compared to OPO (p < 0.05). After 1 month of feeding, the mice in both OPO and OPL groups showed lower final weight,
weight gain, and liver TG,
LDL-C, and
LDL/HDL concentrations compared to the control (
soybean oil) group. Lipidomics results showed that OPO increased the biosynthesis of very long-chain
fatty acids and decreased the abundance of AcCa (16:1), AcCa (18:2), AcCa (18:1), AcCa (16:0), CarE (16:0), and CarE (16:1) relative to OPL. These
lipid metabolites were positively correlated with liver TG,
LDL-C, and
LDL/HDL levels and negatively related to
peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors α (PPARα) and
acyl-CoA oxidase (ACOX1) expression. This study showed differences in physiologic functions between OPO and OPL and provided support for the future application of OPL in infant formula.