Technology Development to Measure Chemical and Oxidative Stability of Edible Oils Using Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy

Abstract

Polyunsaturated fatty acids are considered a benefit for human consumption because they are available in edible oils and enhance their susceptibility to oxidation. The Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) method was applied to evaluate the oxidation in edible oils and the chemical changes. The oxidation could be accelerated by the application of heat with air. Therefore, five types of oils, soybean oil (SBO), sunflower oil (SFO), sesame oil (SEO), corn oil (CRO), and palm oil (PAO), were taken and heated at the temperature of 85±2°C with aeration at the rate of 5 L/sec for 55 hours continuously. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were determined to compare the results. Comparing the spectra of exposed and unexposed oils, PAO and CRO have undergone fewer changes than other oils, whereas more changes have occurred in SFO than other oils. Between the other two oils, SEO showed the highest level of oxidation, followed by SBO. Results obtained in this study indicate that FT-IR is a proper rapid technique for measuring oxidation in edible oil.