Enrichment factor

$$\begin{gathered} E{F}_I=\frac{X_{ \\ 2:I \\ }}{X_{ \\ 1:I|2:I|3:I \\ }} \end{gathered}$$

Abbreviations

• EF

Description

The enrichment factor (EF) measures how much a specific fatty acid is enriched at the sn-2 position of a triacylglycerol (TAG) compared to its overall concentration. A higher factor reveals a greater competitive advantage for a particular fatty acid for that position.

Interpretation:

• 0..1 indicates a preference for sn-1 and sn-3 positions;
• 1 indicates no preference for sn positions;
• 1..3 indicates a preference for the sn-2 position.

References

• Верещагин, 1972, стр. 176