A comparison of selected methods for determining eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in cereal-based foods

The accuracy of four transesterification methods and four extraction methods for determining the eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid contents of cereal-based foods enriched with fish oil containing these fatty acids was investigated. The four enriched test foods were a flaked breakfast cereal, a snack bar, bread and muffins. The accuracy of the transesterification methods was tested using several commercial fish oils. The recovery of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in the fish oils ranged from 97% to 104% depending on the transesterification method used. For the extraction methods, the recovery of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid across all food products ranged from 59% to 101% and 74% to 98% respectively depending on the extraction method used. Overall, the solvent mixture direct method was the most accurate extraction method across all the foods. However, the application of different extraction methods for different food types may be optimal when accurate analysis of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in foods is required.