Detection of virgin coconut oil adulteration with animal fats using quantitative cholesterol by GC × GC–TOF/MS analysis. (1st July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xu, Baocheng; Li, Peiwu; Ma, Fei; Wang, Xiuping; Matthäus, Bertrand; Chen, Ran; Yang, Qingqing; Zhang, Wen; Zhang, Qi
• Is Part Of: Food chemistry. Volume 178(2015)
• Page Start: 128
• Page End: 135
• Publication Date: 2015-07-01
• Subjects: Virgin coconut oil -- Animal fats -- Cholesterol -- Adulteration -- GC × GC–TOF/MS; Food -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Food -- Composition -- Periodicals; 664
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.01.035
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0308-8146

Abstract

Highlights: Determination of cholesterol level used as indicator by GC × GC–TOF/MS. The baseline separation of cholesterol and cholestanol (i.s.) was achieved. Reliable method for authenticating the purity of virgin coconut oils (VCO). Possibly to detect the presence of animal fats in VCO at a level as little as 0.25%. Abstract: A new method based on the cholesterol level was developed to detect the presence of animal fats in virgin coconut oil (VCO). In this study, the sterols in VCO and animal fats was separated using conventional one-dimensional gas chromatography (1D GC) and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC × GC). Compared with 1D GC, the GC × GC system could obtain a complete baseline separation of the sterol trimethylsilyl ethers derived from cholesterol and cholestanol, so that the cholesterol content in pure VCO and false VCO adulterated with animal fats could be accurately determined. Cholesterol, a main sterol found in animal fats, represented less than 5 mg/kg of VCO. The study demonstrated that the determination of the cholesterol level in VCO could be used for reliable detection of the presence of lard, chicken fat, mutton tallow, beef tallow, or their mixture in VCO at a level as little as 0.25%.