Importance of non-triacylglycerols to flavor quality of edible oils

Abstract

Edible oils from vegetable and animal sources are composed primarily of triacylglycerols and to a lesser extent minor components referred to as unsaponifiable matter. During processing of oils and as a result of reactions in production of structured and other novel lipids many of these components are removed and hence the relative stability of the preparation is compromised. Presence of chlorophyll in the oils, both endogenous and in the additives, resulted in enhanced production of odor-active aldehydes under fluorescent light. However, simultaneous removal of non-triacylglycerol components reduced the stability of oils under Schaal oven conditions. In enzymic acidolysis of algal oils with capric acid we found that the resultant oils were much less stable man their unaltered counterparts despite a decrease in the degree of unsaturation of the products. Experiments carried out in the absence of any enzyme showed that removal of endogenous antioxidants was indeed responsible for this phenomenon. © 2006 American Chemical Society.