The effect of oxygen concentration on oxidative deterioration in heated high-oleic safflower oil

High-oleic safflower oil was heated at 180°C in atmospheres with four levels of oxygen concentration (2, 4, 10, and 20%) modified with nitrogen gas, to assess the effects of atmospheric oxygen concentration on the oxidative deterioration of deep-frying oils. Acid value, carbonyl value, polar materials, linoleic acid, tocopherol contents, and oxidative stability were measured to evaluate the quality of heated oils. These values were found to be correlated with both heating time and oxygen concentration. Acid and carbonyl values and polar material content of oils heated at oxygen concentrations of 2 and 4% were lower than those at 10 or 20%. On the other hand, linoleic acid and tocopherols were hardly reduced in oils after heating for 30 h at 2% O₂, whereas they were decomposed according to the oxygen concentration and heating time. Oxidative stability was well maintained in oils heated at 2 and 4% O₂. These results suggest that the oxidative deterioration of heated higholeic safflower oil depends on oxygen concentration.