Owing to a gradual increase in fat intake, there is an increasing trend in the incidence of lifestyle-related diseases in Japan. In the Recommended Dietary Allowance of Japan (the sixth edition), a balance in saturated: monounsaturated: polyunsaturated fatty acids at 3 : 4 : 3 and an n-6/n-3 ratio below 4 are recommended. However, putting such a recommendation into practice is not easy, and thus a fully worked out plan is necessary. The adjustment of the fatty acid balance of commercial foods rich in fats may be one such approach. Since the fat content and fatty acid composition of dressings have become very diverse in recent years, it seems important to determine the characteristics of commercially available dressings. Twenty-one mayonnaises, twenty-five dressings and twenty-three semisolid dressings, which were purchased from 1997 to 1999, were analyzed. It is generally assumed that the dressings were of the linoleic acid type, although they were actually of the oleic acid type. An n-6/n-3 ratio below 4 was noted in 61% of all the tested samples. Among the tested products that are made in Japan, 72% of the mayonnaises, 60% of the dressings, and 68% of the semisolid dressings showed an n-6/n-3 ratio below 4. These results indicate that most commercially available dressings in Japanhave a health-intended fatty acid composition with their n-6/n-3 ratio below 4 and that the use consumption of only dressings made in Japan is recommended for good health.
