What unique lipid component causes gastrointestinal distress after consuming excessive escolar?
Wax esters
The adverse gastrointestinal effects associated with consuming too much oilfish or escolar stem directly from a specific type of fat present in high concentrations within the flesh. These lipids are chemically identified as wax esters, which are derived from the esterification of long-chain fatty acids and long-chain alcohols. The crucial distinction is that human digestive enzymes, specifically lipase, lack the necessary mechanism or activity to efficiently hydrolyze and break down these wax esters in the small intestine, unlike common dietary triglycerides. Consequently, these intact, undigested esters continue their passage through the entire digestive system until they reach the large intestine, where their presence accumulates and triggers the characteristic expulsion symptoms.
