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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #94208
Title: QUANTITATIVE COMPOSITION OF HIGH PALMITIC AND STEARIC ACID SOYBEAN OIL TRIACYLGLYCEROLS

Author
item NEFF, WILLIAM
item LIST, GARY
item Byrdwell, William

Submitted to: Journal of Liquid Chromatography
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/5/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Food manufacturers need to know the amounts and types of the fat components of a food such as margarine. Fat composition has an important effect on spreadability and texture of the margarine and on its nutritional value. The composition of five new soybean oil varieties were determined using new methods to improve the accuracy of identifying types and amounts of the fat components. As new oils are developed, their fat compositions can be accurately determined which is essential in developing new healthful margarines. This research information can be used by plant breeders and by food processors.

Technical Abstract: Triacylglycerol species (TAG) of oils from five genetically modified soybean varieties were resolved by gradient reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography. Eluting TAG were detected and quantitated without needing TAG response factors or calibration curves for the detector response by an improved evaporative light scattering detector and by a flame ionization detector. Accuracy of the improved light scattering detector for TAG analysis was checked by comparing the absolute error and average absolute error between experimental fatty acid composition obtained by calibrated gas chromatography of the transmethylated soybean oil and the calculated fatty acid composition obtained from the TAG composition of the soybean oil. Low absolute and average absolute errors were obtained for the quantitative TAG analysis by the improved light scattering detector. Therefore light scattering detection is suitable without the need for detector calibration for routine quantitative analysis of vegetable oil TAG mixtures. The evaporative light scattering detector showed absolute and average absolute errors comparable to TAG quantitative analysis obtained by the flame ionization detector.