Presence of alkylresorcinols, potential whole grain biomarkers, in human adipose tissue

Alkylresorcinols (AR) in plasma samples have been suggested to be short- to medium-term biomarkers of whole grain wheat and rye intake. In the present study, we investigated whether AR are present in human adipose tissues, and if content correlated with long-term whole grain bread intake. Furthermore, we investigated if the relative AR homologue composition reflected what has been found previously in the habitual diet of Swedes. Biopsy samples (10-25 mg) from free-living Swedish women (n 20) were analysed by GC-MS. The mean total AR concentration in the samples was 0.54 (SD 0.35) microg/g, ranging from below limit of quantification ( < 0.08 microg/g) to 1.50 microg/g. Whole grain bread intake was significantly correlated with plasma total AR content (r 0.48, P < 0.05), and the C17 : 0/C21 : 0 ratio was 0.35 (sd 0.24), which is similar to what is found in plasma among free-living subjects consuming a mixed whole grain wheat and rye diet. These results suggest that AR in the adipose tissue should be evaluated as a long-term biomarker of whole grain wheat and rye intake