Assessment of olive oil adulteration by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography/amperometric detection of tocopherols and tocotrienols

A method involving reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with amperometric detection has been developed for the analysis of tocopherols and tocotrienols in vegetable oils. The sample preparation avoids saponification. Recoveries of α-tocotrienol and γ-tocotrienol in extra virgin olive oil were 97.0 and 102.0%, respectively. No tocotrienols were detected in olive, hazelnut, sunflower, and soybean oils, whether virgin or refined. However, relatively high levels of tocotrienols were found in palm and grapeseed oils. This method could detect small quantities (1–2%) of palm and grapeseed oils in olive oil or in any tocotrienol-free vegetable oil and might, therefore, help assess authenticity of vegetable oils.     

Detection of olive oil adulteration using principal component analysis applied on total and regio FA content

Principal component analysis (PCA) has been used to establish a new method for the detection of olive oil adulteration. The data set, composed of values obtained from the determination of the mole percentage of total FA and their regiospecific distribution in positions 1 and 3 in TG of oils (pure or mixtures) by GC analysis, was subjected to PCA. 3-D scatter plots showed clearly that it is possible to distinguish the pure oils from the mixtures. Moreover it is possible to discriminate the different types of seed oil used for the adulteration.     

Soybean oil triacylglycerol analysis by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry

Soybean oil triacylglycerols from genetically modified soybean lines were conclusively identified by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization. Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization is a soft ionization technique which gives simple spectra for triacylglycerols. Spectral identification of the triacylglycerols was based on the molecular [M+1]⁺ ion and the 1(2)-, 2(3)- and 1(3)-diacylglycerol fragments. Triacylglycerols identified in high-stearic and high-palmitic soybean varieties were quantitated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with flame-ionization detection. There was excellent agreement between the fatty acid composition calculated from the triacylglycerol composition and the fatty acid composition obtained by gas chromatography of the transmethylated oils. The oils of the modified soybean varieties, compared to typical soybean oil, contained increased content of triacylglycerols known to be more oxidatively stable, such as linoleoyloleoylstearoyl, linoleoylpalmitoylstearoyl, and linoleoyldipalmitoyl glycerols, and less triacylglycerols like trilinoleoylglycerol, known to decrease oxidative stability. This study showed that the atmospheric pressure chemical ionization technique is suitable for mass spectral identification of neutral molecules, such as triacylglycerols, which do not contain a chargeable functional group.     

Separation of wax esters from olive oils by high-performance liquid chromatography

To detect adulteration of olive oil with solvent-extracted oils, the determination of the wax ester content has become more important during recent years. Hence, a greater number of wax ester analyses need to be performed by quality control laboratories. The most common method in use requires a liquid chromatographic (LC) separation of the less polar fraction, which contains the wax esters, from the glyceride matter on a hand-filled silica gel column. The aim of this project was to verify the possibility of replacing LC with high-performance liquid chromatography by taking advantage of the greater reliability and repeatability of this technique, as well as of the possibility of making the separation automatic. The paper describes how to perform the analysis and the statistical test that was carried out; furthermore, a comparison has been made with the usual method and results are in good agreement.     

A comparison of high-performance liquid chromatography and spectrophotometry to measure chlorophyll in canola seed and oil

There are several methods available to measure chlorophyll in canola oil and seed, and these will not necessarily yield the same results and should not be used in terchangeably. Total chlorophyll was determined for samples of canola seed and commercial canola oil by recognized spectrophotometric methods and by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The HPLC method, which summed all chlorophyll-related pigments detected, found approximately 1.4 times more total chlorophyll per sample than did the spectrophotometric methods. The spectrophotometric methods are calibrated with only chlorophyll a and underestimate other chlorophyll pigments, which have lower extinction, coefficients and different absorption maxima. The HPLC method detects each pigment at its absorption maxima and applies the appropriate absorptivity factor. Care must be taken when comparing results obtained by different methods. There appears to be a need for a standardized method of chlorophyll pigment measurement by HPLC.     

Detection of pressed hazelnut oil in admixtures with virgin olive oil by analysis of polar components

Analysis of the polar fraction from virgin olive oil and pressed hazelnut oil by high-performance liquid chromatography showed marked differences in the chromatograms of the polar components in the two oils. Six commercial samples of pressed hazelnut oil and 12 samples of virgin olive oil (or blended olive oil including virgin olive oil) were analyzed. The phenolic content of the pressed hazelnut oil samples was 161±6 mg·kg⁻¹. Inspection of the chromatograms showed that the pressed hazelnut oil extracts contained a component that eluted in a region of the chromatogram that was clear in the olive oil samples, and consequently this component could be used to detect adulteration of virgin olive oil by pressed hazelnut oil. The component had a relative retention time of 0.9 relative to 4-hydroxybenzoic acid added to the oil as an internal standard. The ultraviolet spectrum of the component showed a maximum at 293.8 nm, but the component could not be identified. Analysis of blends of oils showed that adulteration of virgin olive oil by commercial pressed hazelnut oil could be detected at a level of about 2.5%.     

The triacylglycerol structure of olive oil determined by silver ion high-performance liquid chromatography in combination with stereospecific analysis

The compositions of positionssn-1,sn-2 andsn-3 of triacylglycerols from “extra-virgin” olive oil (Olea europaea) were determined. The procedure involved preparation of diacyl-rac-glycerols by partial hydrolysis with ethyl magnesium bromide; 1,3-, 1,2- and 2,3-diacyl-sn-glycerols as (S)-(+)-1-(1-naphthyl)ethyl urethanes were isolated by highperformance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on silica, and their fatty acid compositions were determined. The same procedure was also carried out on the five main triacylglycerol fractions of olive oil after separation according to the degree of unsaturation by HPLC in the silver ion mode. Although stereospecific analysis of the intact triacyl-sn-glycerols indicated that the compositions of positionssn-1 andsn-3 were similar, the analyses of the molecular species demonstrated marked asymmetry. The data indicate that the “1-random, 2-random, 3-random” distribution theory is not always applicable to vegetable oils.     

High-performance liquid chromatography evaluation of phenols in virgin olive oil during extraction at laboratory and industrial scale

Phenolic compounds are of fundamental importance to the quality and nutritional properties of virgin olive oils. In this paper, the high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of simple and complex olive oil phenols in the streams generated in the two-phase extraction system was carried out using Arbequina and Picual olives. The malaxation stage reduced the concentration of orthodiphenols in oil ca 50–70%, while the concentration of the nonorthodiphenols remained constant, particularly the recently identified lignans 1-acetoxypinoresinol and pinoresinol. Oxidation of orthodiphenols at laboratory scale was avoided by malaxing the paste under a nitrogen atmosphere. Phenolic compounds in the wash water used in the vertical centrifuge were also identified. Hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, the dialdehydic form of elenolic acid linked to hydroxytyrosol were the most representative phenols in these waters. Hence, phenolic compounds in the wash waters came from both the aqueous and the lipid phases of the decanter oily must.     

Analysis of triacylglyceride hydroperoxides in vegetable oils by nonaqueous reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection

Triacylglyceride hydroperoxides (HPO-TAG), the primary autoxidation products of triacylglycerides (TAG), have been analyzed in polyunsaturated vegetable oils by means of nonaqueous reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet detection. Using a retention time model based on equivalent carbon numbers, mono- and bishydroperoxy TAG and hydroxy TAG could be identified. The correlation between the peroxide value (POV) determined by iodometric titration and quantitative HPLC results for HPO-TAG was established for sunflower oil samples with POV between 0.5 and 50 meq/kg. The recovery of HPO-TAG in the HPLC procedure was found to be close to 100% in the POV range of 4 to 71 meq/kg. Absolute quantitative results for HPO-TAG in sunflower oil samples could not be obtained accurately, as molar extinction coefficients of HPO-TAG occurring in natural oils deviate from those of available HPO-TAG reference compounds.     

High-performance liquid chromatography evaluation of phenols in olive fruit, virgin olive oil, vegetation waters, and pomace and 1D- and 2D-nuclear magnetic resonance characterization

Phenolic compounds are the most important antioxidants of virgin olive oil. This paper reports on the application of solid phase extraction (SPE) in the separation of phenolic compounds from olive fruit, olive oil, and by-products of the mechanical extraction of the oil and the complete spectroscopic characterization by nuclear magnetic resonance of demethyloleuropein and verbascoside extracted from olive fruit. SPE led to a higher recovery of phenolic compounds from olives than did liquid/liquid extraction. SPE also was used to separate phenolic compounds from pomaces and vegetation waters. Phenylacid and phenyl-alcohol concentrations in extracts obtained from SPE and liquid/liquid extraction were not significantly different (P<0.05). The recovery of the dialdehydic form of elenolic acid linked to 3,4-(dihydroxyphenyl)ethanol and an isomer of oleuropein aglycon, however, was low.     

Separation of stigmasta-3,5-diene, squalene lsomers, and wax esters from olive oils by single high-performance liquid chromatography run

To ascertain the authenticity of olive oils, the European Community Regulation requires the stigmasta-3,5-diene and wax ester contents to be determined. The official methods are time-consuming and not suitable for many daily analyses, as quality-control laboratories need. A method is presented here that allows single high-performance liquid chromatography separation of stigmasta-3,5-diene and wax esters, as well as of the squalene isomers, which give further information on the oil’s authenticity. For stigmasta-3,5-diene, the comparison with results obtained with the official method is good. Also for wax esters, the agreement was good, even if they were compared with results obtained from a quicker method as reliable as the official one. The possibility of separating the squalene isomers also at the same time makes the proposed method more advantageous. On the whole, the method, which is suggested for routine and quick screening but not for the exact evaluation of the analyte contents, seems to be a convenient choice for ascertaining on a daily basis the samples’ legal compliance (i.e., whether the analyte content is or is not below the legal value).     

The isolation and recovery of fatty acids with Δ5 unsaturation from meadowfoam oil by lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis and esterification

This report examines the use of lipases for isolating fatty acids with Δ5 unsaturation from the seed oil ofLimnanthes alba, or meadowfoam. Seven lipase types and three enzyme configurations (immobilized, “free” and reversemicellar encapsulated) were examined. All lipases discriminated against Δ5 acids to varying degrees, but the degree of discrimination was independent of enzyme configuration. Lipase-catalyzed esterification of meadowfoam oil’s free fatty acids was much more successful for isolating Δ5 acyl groups than was lipolysis. For example, esterification directed byChromobacterium viscosum lipase yielded a free fatty acid product containing >95% of the Δ5 acyl groups at >99% purity.